


Captured

by ThereIsLaughter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Both lose, But not that much, Cause I'm not so good at action writing, Getting Together, I also suck at tags, I'll add more with later chapters or something, Keith and Lance have a bet, M/M, Pining, Some depictions of violence, Undercover Missions, worrying about each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-09 20:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11676300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsLaughter/pseuds/ThereIsLaughter
Summary: Lance and Keith are on a mission where Keith bets that Lance can't last a week without getting captured. Let's see how well that goes.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This monster fic was only supposed to be 10k words and take me a couple of days to write... Now we've got four chapters and two months have gone by and I'm pretty sure that the pacing is awful but who cares!!  
> Season 3 comes out on Friday and I'm too excited to get stressed about it. 
> 
> I'm not a writer and this story hasn't been beta-d so I'm sorry for a lot of the grammar mistakes and all that. It's still readable so I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Also the reason why this took so long is because I stared writing another volitron fic which is gonna be like 20 chapters and super angsty and saucy. Follow me on Tumblr if you kinda wanna know when that comes out.  
> Drunkenfishdip.tumblr.com if you fancy it ;) ;) I don't seek validation or anything.

“Shut up, Lance.” Keith grumbled.

How had it come to this? 

Keith was convinced that he must have betrayed Shiro in a past life because yet again Keith was paired with Lance for another mission which, in all honesty, Keith would’ve been fine undertaking on his own. 

It wasn’t that he hated Lance. Far from it. In fact, over the last few months he had come to silently enjoy the Cuban’s warped personality. However, being paired together on every mission, training exercise and even having their rooms next to each other, was starting to exhaust Keith. Lance had a loud personality, a personality type that Keith would honestly say he hated passionately up until a few months ago and although Keith had grown used to Lance with his relentlessness, there was only so much he could take. 

“All I’m saying, buddy, is that if it came down to it. Tooth and nail, y’know. I could get the job done twice before you’d even thought to move.”

Keith wasn’t even sure what the two of them were bickering about at this point only that they shouldn’t be since technically they were currently trespassing on a fully functional Galra ship complete with its army of nasty suckers to deal with if either of them were caught. 

Keith decided to take the bait nonetheless, his ego wouldn’t allow him to bite his tongue when it came to Lance.

“Would that be before or after getting captured until one of us came to rescue your stupid ass?” Keith retorted, there was no bite in his words but he could sense Lance stiffen up in embarrassment as the two made their way through the long corridor of the Galran ship.

“That was one time.” Lance hissed out, clearly Keith had struck a nerve.

Keith turned to Lance, his mouth hanging open slightly dumbfounded. “How bad is your memory? I can name three times in the last two weeks.”

“Those Vreskian warriors don’t count.” Lance turned away from Keith’s gaze as he raised his bayard to his chest, his finger already curled around the trigger of his gun. “It’s not capturing if I was fully willing to go with them. They were fine.” 

Keith faced forward again, only so Lance didn’t see the small smirk that spread across Keith’s cheeks. He thought back to the drama from last week when Lance had disappeared without a word while the team were conducting discussions with the monarch equivalent of the Vreskian people. Well… He says team but really it was just Allura, Coran and Shiro, the rest of the paladins had been dismissed pretty soon after the discussions had started. Keith had hoped to get some sparring practice in, he’d even considered asking Lance to accompany him, but thought better of it when he’d walked in on Lance practically serenading some of the Vreskian warriors. Keith decided better than to bother the Blue paladin while he tried to “get his rocks off” as he’d so poetically argued before so Keith himself returned to the ship to practice alone.

But, given that it was Lance, it wasn’t long before the blue paladin was calling for help through his radio causing the whole Voltron team to drop what they were doing to rescue the helpless romantic yet again.

Keith had no problems with Lance being a flirt. None. Whatsoever. The only thing that seriously bothered Keith was how often it went wrong and Keith would be forced to rescue Lance just because the Cuban couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

“I don’t get captured all the time…” Lance suddenly whispered pulling on one of Keith’s heartstrings. 

Lance was sensitive, Keith wasn’t unaware of that, but he enjoyed teasing the other teenager so couldn’t help himself from riling his conrad up a little more. 

“The team aren’t even surprised anymore…” Keith let his smirk widen just for a second before covering it with his arm, pretending to be wiping his mouth with his hand, he didn’t want Lance to catch on that he was messing with him just yet. “We just kind of expect you to get captured when on missions now. It’s one of the things you’re best at.”

“Oh yeah?” Lance challenged.

“Yep.” Keith popped the ‘p’ smugly as he watched Lance slowly take the bait. 

“Well the only thing you’re good for is ruining the mood and making everyone annoyed.” Lance growled, suddenly stepping ahead and blocking Keith’s path. 

“Oh really? Are you sure about that?” Keith forced his face to stay expressionless as he slightly lifted his head to look up at his rival who nodded vigorously to his previous taunt. “Then how about a bet?”

Lance frowned, an expression that Keith rarely saw cross the Cubans face, and he had to admit that it didn’t suit Lance at all. Keith almost wanted to make some sort of terrible joke just to shift the expression from Lance’s face. 

“Bring it on, mullet man.” Lance hissed with no venom in his tone. 

“Think you can handle it, Cargo Pilot?” Keith raised an eyebrow, continuing to bruise Lance’s ego. 

Before Lance could retort, Keith heard the familiar crackle as the comms in his helmet opened, followed shortly by the disappointed sigh that both Lance and Keith had both memorised months ago. 

“Lance. Keith. Focus.” The familiar voice of their Paladin father called out above their heads. Keith could almost picture their leader shaking his head in disappointment as he spoke. 

Nowadays, whenever Shiro spoke to the pair of them together, it was more of a surprise if he wasn’t scolding them for something. 

Lance let out a long moan before he grunted in reply. “Sorry dad.”

Keith couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard Shiro tut in ever so slight irritation down the receiver. Another familiar sound for the two paladins. 

Sometimes Keith was convinced that Shiro liked to worry about them, that he liked being disappointed and annoyed at his team. If he didn’t like it then why would he pair Lance and Keith up for everything as if they were the only pairing that existed in the whole known universe. It had been a few months now since the specie-cocktail known as Team Voltron had been thrown together and although it had been rocky at the beginning nowadays it was a lot smoother. Keith was surprised by how much he truly got along with everyone on the team, other than Lance obviously. 

Keith thought back fondly of long evening sparing with Shiro, pushing each other to their very limits drenched in sweat and the beginnings of deep bruises beginning to show across the skin. Keith thought of exploring space marketplaces with Hunk, watching him kindly as Hunk would pick up anything and everything that could be seen as food, something he could experiment with in the castle kitchens. Keith then thought of Allura and Coran, talking to them about Altea and happy memories the pair shared from their younger days, though these conversations often ended on a sour note Keith truly respected the kind Alteans he’d grown closer to these last few months. Then there was Pidge, the angry child was the hardest for Keith to grow close to at first, simply because they spent majority of their time alone working on some sort of technology that would cause Keith’s head to spin. The only topic that got the ball rolling was bonding over stupid things they’d heard escape from Lance’s lips. A close friendship had blossomed from that.

Keith’s point, he halted his thoughts and returned to the present as he and Lance walked together down the Galran corridor, was that Shiro could have literally chosen anyone else on the team for Keith to partner with and it would’ve been less stressful for him. Simply because the teens, no matter how much quiet fondness they shared for each other, would never stop being able to tease each other at any moment available. 

Keith sighed, deciding it was better to just get on and deal with Shiro’s decision than to question it. 

The two teens slowly made their way down the long, seemingly endless corridor. For a few seconds they were silent, the only sound they could hear was the gentle tapping off their feet against the metal floor. However, it wasn’t long until Relentless!Lance started up again by Keith’s side.

“So… Mullet… What’s this bet you were talking about?” 

Keith chuckled again. Lance just couldn’t help himself. It was a quality of his that Keith probably enjoyed most of all, his inability to let something slide. That was something the two had in common. 

“I bet you can’t survive one week without getting captured.” Keith quickly retorted, he could just sense Shiro shaking his head and grumbling about the two of them never listening to him. 

“A week?” Lance practically squeaked. “Easy. At least give me a challenge.”

“No need to. I know you’ll still lose.”

Lance scoffed causing Keith to chuckle once more. Although he couldn’t see Lance’s face right now he could just imagine the poor wounded face he was likely wearing as they walked.

“Fine. What do I get when I win?” Lance gave in, the conversation would go nowhere if they continued just bickering back and forth. 

The two finally reached a corner and Lance watched as Keith slid himself against the wall before peeking around to check if the coast was clear. Seeming satisfied, Keith reached back and grabbed Lance’s arm pulling him forward with him again.

“What do you want?” Keith asked when the two were slowly stalking down another endless corridor, both checking their 12s and 6s relentlessly.

Lance could think of a thousand things he wanted. A new album on his MP3 player. New PJs. Maybe an air freshener for inside of blue. A date of when he could return to earth to see his family. Hell, Lance would take an intergalactic phone just so he could tell them he was okay at this point. 

“What have you got?” Lance mumbled back, trying to push those thoughts back to the corner of his mind where they usually dwelled.

Keith looked to him with an eyebrow raised in slight confusion. “Umm… How about cleaning duties? If you win, I’ll clean the training room on my own for 3 days.”

“A month.” Lance easily retorted.

“A week.” Keith growled back.

“Two.” 

“Fine.” 

Lance chuckled quietly in triumph. “You hear that, Shiro? Straight from his lips. He’ll clean up on his own for two weeks.”

Keith scoffed but he wasn’t even bothering to hide the smile gracing his face from Lance now. “Well, you won’t win so that won’t happen. Now, here’s the good bit. What do I get when I win?”

“What do you want?”

Keith slowly ran his tongue across his lips, what could he ask for? Something that would truly ruin Lance’s ego and Keith could thoroughly enjoy. But what? There were so many options and none of them seemed good enough. Keith remained silent for almost a minute, so long that Lance was about to ask if Keith had heard him but Keith interrupted him before he had the chance.

“Take me for a ride in your lion.” Keith smirked.

“What?” Lance almost shouted but Keith quickly elbowed him in the side before his volume got too loud. 

“You heard me.”

“I hope I didn’t,” Lance reached up and scratched at his neck just beneath his helmet. “Because there is no way that’s happening.”

“Oh? Where’s that unwavering confidence now, McClain? Worried you’ll lose.”

“Of course not. This is an easy win for me.”

“Then… What’s the problem?”

“There isn’t one!” Lance easily retorted back. “I hope that the castle stocks rubber gloves ‘cause you’re gonna need them when this bet ends.”

“Okay, Lance.” Keith smirked, reaching his hand up to the side to signal the other paladin to stop as Keith finally heard some sign of movement on board of the ship. The corridors that the pair had been walking down before now had been long with no doors or shoots meaning that that the paladins only had one choice of direction but now, as Keith strained his eyes to focus ahead he saw four large purple doors on his left side before the corridor abruptly ended.

“Choose a number between one and four.” Lance’s sly chuckle drew Keith back almost instantly but he elected to ignore it before slowly stalking forward, trying to fully concentrate on any sound that might erupt from behind any of the four doors. Pleased that there was none, Keith took hold of the first door handle and slowly opened it.

“Unlocked?” Lance mumbled. “That’s a good sign.”

After surveying, Keith closed the door once more before heading towards the second. “I’m not walking down another endless corridor.”

The second door was a little further up and Keith was surprised to find that that door was also left unlocked but this time only lead into a small maintenance cupboard filled with wires and beeping sounds that quickly gave Keith a headache. 

The third door, this time on the right side of the corridor was also left unlocked and led to yet another long, endless corridor. Keith was quick to shut it back up and head towards the forth door at the end which Keith was slightly surprised to find locked. 

“Guess we’re going this way.” Keith mumbled, before opening a hatch that led to a small panel with a screen that was connected to multiple multi-coloured wires, and by multicoloured the wires were only just different shades of purple. A colour Keith was very quickly getting sick off.

“What why?”

“If you’ve got a number of unlocked doors and one locked door. You always go for the locked door, it’s just common sense.”

“Yeah in La La Land.” Lance scoffed in reply. “In reality, right here, common sense is telling me to get off this damn ship or at least go the safe route, not deeper into mystery and torture.”

“Just trust me. This is the best route to go.”

“Sure, if you wanna face Shiro’s dad wrath then go ahead. I play no part in it.” Lance turned his back to Keith and stared back down the long corridor as Keith got to work on the door codes, Pidge hadn’t taught him much but she’d done what she could to help Keith memorise a hacking technique to get through locked doors on Galra ships. A skill Keith was more than thankful to have picked up for just this moment.

“Dad wrath?” Keith questioned as he continued to play around with the large purple panel, pressing buttons with what he hoped was the correct order. 

“Yeah. The wrath of the dad. Space dad, obviously.” 

“Obviously.” Keith chorused. “I still don’t get why you called him that in the first place, or why it caught on. Shiro’s only a few years older than us.”

“Shiro is what I consider an adult adult.”

“What?”

“Well… We’re adults. Technically. According to the numbers. But he is a bigger adult than we are. Thus making him an adult adult. Thus further, he is more superior to us and takes on the role of Father figure and thus final, he is space dad.”

Keith couldn’t help the snort of laughter escape at Lance’s pure stupidity. “Fine, I guess it makes sense like that.”

“Plus it’s funny. I know it weirded him out at first but he’s used to it now.”

“Is he now?” Keith let out a silent yip in happiness as the code worked and the door unlocked with a quiet thud allowing Keith to slide his fingers through the gap and slowly push the door open. Keith peered through the widening gap to check for soldiers but was pleasantly surprised when he saw none and let the door open fully in front of him. 

“He doesn’t react to being called Space Dad anymore.” Lance mumbled after checking the coast was clear himself. “I think he’s desensitised to it. The first time I called him it, he had to leave the room and I got out of my chores for the day.”

“We could always call him Daddy Shiro. That might work.”

“... That’s a bit gay, Keith.”

Keith let out a quiet snort as he stalked through the open doorway leading into the empty hanger. 

“Keep it in your pants, Romeo.” Keith grumbled back to Lance as he followed him in. 

The pair found then found themselves in the corner of a large hanger, though there wasn’t any sort of ship to be found. 

“I told Shiro there would have been room to park the Lions in here. His stupid “black lion” taxi cab was a stupid idea.” Lance commented to himself as the two slowly cut across the centre of the room. If all was going to plan then the two boys didn’t have to worry about being caught on any cameras as Pidge was hopefully following and protecting their path as they moved from the safety of the castleship. 

“Blue wouldn’t be able to fit through the doors.” Keith mumbled back even though he knew Lance wasn’t starting a conversation with his previous statement.

“... I hope you’re not insinuating what I think you are.”

“I’m not insinuating anything.” Keith turned and watched as Lance matched his step beside him, which Keith noticed was a nice thing to do considering that Lance had much longer legs compared to Keith’s so could probably stride across the room in half the steps it would take Keith if he wanted to. “I was just merely pointing out that there are more pros than cons to Red’s significantly smaller frame.”

“If you’re calling my lion fat, I won’t hesitate to shoot you right here, mullet.”

“Did I say that? Or was I pointing out the obvious that only one of our lions would be able to fit through those hangar doors… and it’s not your one.” 

“Better sleep with one eye open, mullet. I won’t let you tarnish my girl’s reputation like that.” Lance mumbled, raising his gun up once more to chest height while pointing forward and watching the large double doors across the room that the pair had elected to head towards. 

It didn’t take long to reach it thankfully and before long the two were desperately trying to open the large double doors.

“These have got to be like 50 tonnes each in weight.” Lance grunted, doing his best to just keep his grip on the handles. 

“Hardly.” Keith grunted in return but he too couldn’t get the doors to really budge. 

“Here, get out the way. I’ll open one door and when the gap is big enough you slide through and then hold it open for me.” Lance strained. 

Keith didn’t argue and quickly excused himself from Lance as the taller boy grasped the door handle with both hands and pulled, letting his feet keep him firmly in place as he used his entire weight to slowly pull the door open, bit by bit.

“This would be so much easier if I space dad’s big dad muscles.” Lance grunted as he continued to put all his muscle into pulling the door open.

Keith quickly slid through the gap Lance had made into the next room, which actually turned out to be yet another long corridor, just Keith’s luck. “Everyone want’s Shiro’s muscles.”

“I don’t just need to have them, I’d be okay with them just… near me. Close to me. Against me. Whatever.” Lance quickly dropped his hold on the door and jumped through the gap that Keith tried to hold open but it was nothing as Keith couldn’t hold the weight of the door whatsoever and, stupidly allowed the door to thump shut with a loud bang behind him.

“Idiot.” Keith grumbled to no one in particular.

“Y’know.” Lance ignored Keith’s comment entirely. “When we get back we should have a vote. A vote that, if it wins, Shiro has to spend at least 5 hours a day shirtless walking around the castleship.”

“Yeah, because Shiro would totally go for that.” Keith smirked, raising his bayard to his chest as the two began another trek down the corridors.

“It’d be a vote. He’d have no choice. Hunk would definitely vote for it, because Hunk will do anything to make me happy, Allura would vote for it because let’s face it. She likes Shiro muscles just as much as the rest of us. Coran would probably be impartial but if push came to shove he’d go with Allura. So that just leaves you and Pidge.”

“Coran wouldn’t vote so that would be 3 yes’ and 3 hell no’s cause Pidge would actively go against you.” Keith smirked.

“What? You’re telling me you would’ve vote for access to Dad muscles.”

“I’d go with Shiro.” 

“Kiss ass.” Lance snorted behind him. 

“How does that make me a kiss ass?”

“You’re hiding such holy gifts from the rest of us. He has beautiful muscles.”

“Doesn’t mean he want’s everyone to see them.”

“They’re a blessing to this universe.” Lance looked into the distance starry eyes, Keith felt a soft unknown pang at his heart as he imagined what Lance must be imagining right now. 

Keith sighed, exasperated. “Well yeah I know, they’re the only reason I go to extra training sometimes. Just to look at them.”

“Amen to that. Wait… You like Shiro too?” Lance gasped dramatically turning back around to face Keith entirely.

“... What have we just been talking about for the last five minutes? Is there anyone in this universe that doesn’t think Shiro is hot? So what if I agree with them.”

“Nothing to be ashamed of.” Lance gulped.

“I didn’t say that there was.”

“Nothing wrong with being into guys, I myself am quite attracted to the same sex, or any sex, or anyone for that matter. Human or alien. It’s all relative right? Everything this universe has created is beautiful in it’s own way. There’s nothing wrong with having a preference, or not, if you know what I mean.”

“Shut up, Lance.”

“I’m just saying y’know-” Lance coughed, attempting to mask his discomfort but Keith could still hear it loud and clear. “If you were gay- That’s cool. I mean, I’m not one to judge.”

“I am gay.” Keith grunted back, questioning all his life decisions that had lead up to this moment. 

“Oh?” Lance gulped, taken aback. “Okay. Cool. That’s cool. Awesome. Ni-”

“Lance.” Keith turned back to the blue paladin who was creeping along behind him through the corridor. “Shut up.”

“I am. I am the most shut up. Never find someone as shut up as I am- This is me, shutting up.”

“Lance. I swear to god, I will drop kick you into a room full of galra if you don’t shut up right this second.” Keith snapped back but he was oddly surprised by the lack of venom or any sort of malice in his tone whatsoever.

“... Okay.” Lance whispered. “... But thanks for y’know… trusting me.”

“Trust?” Keith scoffed. “Sure Lance.”

Keith was happy when Lance didn’t open his mouth again, allowing Keith to return his focus to the task at hand. Getting through this battle cruiser of a ship without being found out. Thus far, surprisingly, they were doing okay but Keith knew it was only a matter of time before someone, or something, came across them. 

The two continued their trek, slowly and cautiously forward and for a few minutes they remained in complete silence. That is until Lance yet again opened his big mouth.  
“Are you mad?”

“Why would I be mad?” 

“Well… You told me you were gay and that’s quite a big thing and I know lots of people in the universe don’t like coming out… Especially to people who they don’t know or aren’t close to and let’s face it… The two of us aren’t exactly best buds.”

“It’s fine, Lance.” Keith sighed, slightly exasperated. “It’s just a bit of annoying that we’re trillions of years away from Earth and yet I still have to come out to people.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s not exactly you.” 

“Well… I know I said it already… In fact I wear my sexuality around like a patch on my arm but here. Keith Kogane. I’m as gay as the universe is big. There… Now I’ve come out to you officially too.”

“Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” Lance beamed. 

Something twinged in Keith’s heart and he couldn’t help the warm, fuzzy feeling that overwhelmed him immediately. The two quickly picked up the pace until they reached a T-junction and both simultaneously let out a groan of irritation. Why couldn’t Pidge have just drawn them a map? This place was like damn maze.

“Left or right?” Keith grumble aloud, not actually talking to Lance but still he felt the need to respond.

“Why one feels nicer?”

“... Neither?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Helpful.” 

Keith was happy to start an argument but before he could open his mouth Lance was point at the ceiling, trying to draw attention to it. 

“Oh look.” Lance suddenly gulped from behind Keith. “It’s those big fat wires. I swear we only see them when we’re near the control room.”

“The control room must be down this corridor then.” Keith stretched his neck as if that would help him get a clearer view of the long corridor ahead of them. “Doesn’t look to be any guards still too.”

“Doesn’t mean there aren’t any.”

“Yes. I know that, Lance.”

“Just saying.”

“So-” Keith changed the subject. “We should probably ask Shiro if we should go find it. It could be really useful especially giving the tone on the castleship recently.”

“No, I don’t think so. We should just leave it alone and stay in our lane, Keith.” Lance gulped. “We already have a job to do.”

“Yeah, I know.” Keith rolled his eyes painfully. “We might as well ask. Shut up and listen and I’ll do it.”

Keith reached up to the buttons of his com on his helmet and flicked the switch to turn the receiver on properly.

“Shiro? Allura? Anyone? Can you hear us?” Keith pressed his hand to his right side of his helmet, pushing it inwards slightly to see if he could focus his hearing better.

“Uh oh.” Lance grumbled, doing the same with his own helmet. “Hunk? Pidge? Come on guys, we need you to answer.”

The only sort of reply they both got in return was loud static. No sign that the others could even hear them let alone reply. 

Lance groaned, tilting his head up to the sky as if cursing the ceiling. “Stupid coms. When we get back Pidge should focus more on our communications rather than whatever science project their currently on.” 

“If it’s Pidge whatever they’re doing is probably important.” 

“So, what do we do?” Lance asked, ignoring Keith’s point. “Personally, I think it means we should just continue with the plan like Shiro said.”

“No, it means it's up to us to decide. It’s our call.” Keith let out a slow grumble before suddenly reaching out to crack his knuckles in front of him. “So, I think we can’t turn down this opportunity. We’ve barely got any recent data on the galra and who knows what their systems might show. Tactics? Formations? We won’t know until we go.” 

“Or nothing. I dunno, Keith.” Lance mumbled back, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. “I know this might sound weird but I have a really bad feeling about this. Something doesn’t feel right. It hasn’t since we got on this damn ship.”

“Lance, come on, this is important. We rarely ever find control rooms on these missions. Besides, Shiro’s rule is that we can’t stray from the path unless we are completely safe and, I dunno if you’ve noticed the lack of guards around here, so we clearly are. We can download everything on the system and then move on in just a few ticks.”

“Seriously? Come on, Mullet, can’t you just trust me?” Lance suddenly pleaded, taking hold of the collar of Keith’s armour and pulling him slightly closer.

“Lance, I do trust you, this isn’t about trust. I just think that this is a good idea and it’s worth it to try, we can’t just abandon it just because of a feeling.” Keith returned the favour by reaching up and grabbing hold of the blue paladin’s collar.

Lance couldn’t hide the hurt spreading across his face, it pained him that even after all this time Keith still wouldn’t trust Lance’s instincts or even take a second to even consider them at all. Lance took the opportunity to pull Keith even closer, just to drill his point into Keith’s stubborn brain. 

“Keith. Please. I mean it. I really don’t feel good about this. Let’s just get to the prisoners and go. No side missions this time.”

“Lance. No. This is important. We have to risk it.” Keith argued, pressing his second hand to Lance’s chest and gently pushing him backwards to increase the distance between them again. “We’ll split up. I’ll go to the control room and you get to the prison deck. I’ll meet you down there when I’m done.”

“Oh that sounds like a great idea.” Lance scoffed, pushing back against Keith, blocking off any chance Keith had to escape the closeness.

“Lance, we won’t get another chance! Think of Pidge, we’re no closer to finding their family than we were months ago. We’re no closer to finding Zarkons weakness than we were months ago. We’re making no progress!”

“And we will continue to make no progress if one of us dies. Or worse.”

“Neither of us will die.” Keith scoffed.

“You can’t guarantee that.” 

Keith let out an exasperated sigh, resting his hands on Lance’s chest in defeat. “No… But this is worth the extra risk. For the team.”

Lance seemed to pause to think for a minute before he suddenly sighed and nodded his head reluctantly. “Ugh. Fine. It’s not like I can change your mind anyway.”

“It’ll be fine. Wait for me at the prisoner ward and then we’ll go in together.” Keith gave a small reassuring smile towards Lance who still had his head own a few inches away from Keith’s own. “Okay?”

“Fine.” Lance sighed, pulling away to a more friendly distance. “... Be careful, mullet.”

Keith snorted. “When am I not?”

The two separated their ways and Keith took off with a faster pace than before through the corridor, following the large cables attached to the ceilings overhead. Keith was sure that he could be in and out of the control room, get his job done, and be back with Lance before the blue paladin had even reached the end of his corridor.

That’d show him. Keith smirked.

Keith stared down the corridor, bayard raised, and was pleased to see the large cables round out over a door. Keith approached it a little slower, listening out for any movement nearby. When Keith reached the door, he slowly placed his hand down on the handle and was pleased to find it unlocked. At least that would save him a little time. 

Keith cracked open the door slowly, peering through the gap for guards and only after being satisfied that there were none did he shove open the door roughly and instantly sprinted towards the computer. He fumbled into the pocket of his paladin suit pulling out one of a few “chips” that Pidge had supplied everyone in the team with a few weeks back. Keith had no idea how the chip worked only that he only had to slot it into the computer, similar to an Earth USB stick and Pidge would do all the rest from her end. 

“Pidge. I dunno if you can hear me but I’m inserting your chip now. Hopefully you’ll be able to do something with it.” Keith whispered into the crackling receiver, he had absolutely no idea if the team could hear him or not but hopefully they could so that they could hack the system now while their presence was a secret. 

Keith looked up to the screens overhead and noticed how his eyes drifted to a familiar blue paladin on one of the tallest screens. Lance seemed to be getting close to the prison cells by Keith’s guess, I mean he had to be right? The amount of corridors the two had travelled down since they arrived had to have taken them through the entire ship.

Keith thought to himself for a second before suddenly grumbling. “Well that’s not good.”

If he could see Lance here, did that mean everyone else could see him? A sudden wave of protectiveness rained over Keith and instantly he knew where he needed to be. 

With Lance. 

Keith quickly twirled on his heel and sprinted out of the room without a second glance, leaving Pidge’s chip fully plugged in but hopefully hidden in the main computer.

Before leaving Keith took one second look back at the monitors and his face completely paled. He now knew where all the guards were, no Galra soldiers themselves perhaps, but dozens upon dozens of centuries stood in the main hanger, each poised with weapons in their hands… and Lance was heading right for them. 

Keith twisted on his heel and sprinted as fast as his legs would take him, he deactivated his bayard and connected it to his suit as he continued to run back down the corridor he had came, occasionally feeling the banging bayard against his leg quite roughly.

“Lance.” Keith hissed into the com, hoping that perhaps his and Lance’s weren’t broken. “Lance, can you hear me?”

The receiver crackled, causing Keith to pick up the pace until his thighs burned from the speed, Keith waited a few seconds and was about to call out again before the lines opened and Lance’s voice panted back at him.

“Kinda busy right now, samurai!” Lance gasped for breath and Keith could hear the loud zap of his bayard followed by the sound of loud thumping which may have been Lance’s footsteps. “The prisoner ward is blocked off. I’m flanking backwards to the hanger now.”

Keith rounded the corner ready to head towards the hanger when he paused mid step, almost tumbling forward from the sheer force of his body weight. He shifted back to hide around the corner and peered down the corridor in fear. 

Around a dozen centuries were stood in the middle of the hallway, none of them facing Keith’s direction as they all seemed focused on something in the middle of them.   
Lance.

Keith was about to charge forward again when around half of the centuries fell to the floor followed by a loud cheer from the blue paladin himself. 

“Take that you electrical buzzy fuckers!” Lance screamed followed by what Keith could only assume was something in Spanish. 

Keith watched and yet again he was left speechless as he heard the sound of a door opening down the corridor, past where Lance was currently going 6-on-1 with the centuries, and the sound of footsteps. Dozens of footsteps. But one sounded larger than the rest and the group surrounding Lance seemed to part to allow in the larger footsteps owner. 

“Well… If it isn’t the Blue paladin.” A loud booming voice growled, Keith tried to crane his neck to see but he couldn’t see past the two metre tall centuries that were blocking off Lance’s escape. 

“I’ll handle this one.” The voice called out again. “Prepare a cell, our guest will be staying a while.”

Lance tried to call out but Keith could only watch as the centuries began to move down the opposite end of the corridor again, none of which had seemed to notice Keith’s presence yet. Keith rounded his body, preparing himself to go to Lance’s rescue when enough of the centuries had cleared out.

As they slowly began to clear, Keith gulped at the sight in front of him. Keith considered Lance to be a tall person however, he looked almost childlike stood quivering in front of what was clearly the owner of the loud booming voice.

The soldier reached almost three metres tall and maybe even the same amount wide, with thick arms and legs that looked impenetrable to pass. His skin was dark purple, darker than most galra Keith had come across before, but majority was hidden beneath the deep grey armour he sported.

Lance saw Keith take a step back in fear, even made a move to turn around and run but the galra was quicker and grabbed at Lance before he could even take another step in retreat. 

Keith could only watch as a the soldier's arm circled around Lance’s neck and lifted him about three feet into the air. Keith pulled his bayard up to his front, ready to charge immediately, he only got two steps forward when suddenly Lance’s eyes turned to Keith’s direction and found him.

“Go!” Lance cried out before kicking up his legs and into his attacker, effectively pushing himself out of the grip and falling to the floor. “Go!”

Lance scrambled to his feet and quickly took off in the direction opposite to Keith, his attacker close behind, leaving Keith… Alone.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to have this story completely finished and published before Voltron Season 3 and I totally managed it! Chapter two was the bastard chapter that was a menace to write, as you can probably tell from some passages of it which are super rushed.
> 
> They're just manifestations of me sat at my computer saying "I hate this section. Let's keep it moving."
> 
> Chapters 3 and 4 have been done for days so I'll give them a going over and release them both in the next 24 hours ready for that volition season 3 binge watch on Friday.
> 
> Wahoo

“Allura.” Keith whispered into the comms as he squeezed himself as tightly into a storage cupboard he stumbled upon as he possibly could. “Allura, can you hear me?”

“Paladins. Are you alright? We lost contact with you. What happened? Is Lance with you?”

“No they- Fuck-” Keith felt his hand scratch against something sharp and pulled both hands up to his chest immediately. “They took him. They have Lance. I need back-up. Ah! God dammit. Ah, sh-”

“Paladin.” Allura interrupted quickly. “Speak quickly. What happened?.”

“We were making our way through the ship when I saw that we were close to the control room so I pushed Lance even though he said he didn’t think we should- Shit- We were so close to the prisoner ward but then Lance got spotted and I didn’t get to him in time and they got him- Shit- they have him and I don’t know where they took him and- Argh.”

Shiro rarely heard the red paladin sound so flustered and lost. Keith was well known for his ability to throw himself into battle, entirely impulsively, with no thought about consequence or even those around him. But now… He sounded so unbelievably conflicted and afraid that Shiro almost didn’t recognise him. Plus the rambling was making it difficult for Shiro to even get a grip of what had really gone down. 

Was this the effect that Lance had on him?

“Keith.” Allura interrupted once more as Keith suddenly sounded like he was beginning to hyperventilate. “We’re on our way but you have to tell us more. Where are you?”

Shiro turned and started sprinting in the opposite direction towards his armour before Keith had even started explaining himself to Allura over the comm system. Shiro quickly headed towards the paladin room where Shiro had elected to keep all the armour parts of their suits, as Shiro moved he was unconsciously aware of his fellow paladins quickly following behind him but his brain stayed mainly focused on what he needed to do now. His paladins were in trouble and no way was he going to waste a second which could be spent getting to them. 

“Pidge! Hunk! To your lions, immediately!” Shiro reached the room and immediately grabbed his helmet and shoved it onto his head just as the other paladins went to finish off dressing and grabbing their own helmets and bayards.

The three didn’t take long to reach their lions and immediately escape from their hangers, thrusting themselves through space in the direction where Lance and Keith had been sent for their rescue mission.

“Shiro.” Pidge called out across the comms, followed quickly by their face quickly flashing up on Black’s dashboard. “What’s the plan?”

“The two of you must get to the prisoners, the mission is compromised and we can’t risk leaving the prisoners now that the ship know that we were there to rescue them.” Shiro cleared his head as best as he could as he willed Black to move faster. “I will regroup with Keith and the two of us will find Lance.”

Both young paladins faces were flashed up on Shiro’s dashboard, he tried not to notice their terrified faces. Now was not the time to let fear control them, they had to help their fellow paladins. 

Shiro urged Black to go faster through their mental link and immediately Black responded, thrusting them faster across the galaxy. Shiro could only hope it would be enough. 

Back on the galra ship, Keith was still pressed tight into the storage cupboard, trying to catch his breath back. Keith hadn’t had this feeling in years, the feeling of fear and panic whilst having no idea what to do. He felt like he was drowning.

Keith reached up to his helmet to open his comms once again but this time called out to space for Lance.

“Lance? Can you hear me?”

The response was as Keith had expected but hoped against, the crackling of a closed communication. They must have taken Lance’s helmet… Or worse. Keith couldn’t even fathom a guess as to where Lance was right now. What if he was dead already? What if they didn’t need him since his lion wasn’t onboard the ship?

Keith felt himself grow dizzy the early signs that he was going to pass out before the heavens opened and Keith heard Lance’s communications open followed by the sounds of angels singing. 

“Keith? Is that you?”

“Lance?” Keith let out a long breath of relief. “Fuck. Yes it’s me. Lance, are you- Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.” Lance’s reply was more honest than Keith had expected. “The soldiers left my helmet here. Not that it’s much good now, the visor is completely smashed where that big guy- well… It’s smashed.”

“Are you injured?” Keith felt his breath catch in his throat as he waited nervously for Lance’s response.

Lance took a moment to think then let out a loud sigh followed by a short whince. “A little. Nothing life threatening but enough to hurt like a bitch.”

“Okay. At least you’re alright.”

“I’m getting there… Where are you?”

“Somewhere nearby the control room. I doubled back after we got separated and hid inside a storage cupboard.” Keith gulped. “Pidge managed to the communications working again so I made contact with the team. Shiro should be on his way.” 

“Good.” Lance whispered. “Because, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but this guest room they’ve got me is totally subpar.”

“And you’re the easily impressed type.” Keith joked. “So it must be seriously bad.”

Lance let out a choked chuckle before suddenly groaning once more, louder this time and more prolonged.

“Lance?”

“Sorry. It hurts to move my face too much.” Lance mumbled. “That big guy tagged me pretty good.”

“We can kick his ass on the way out.” Keith joked.

Lance released another loose chuckle in response. “Sounds good to me.”

“I’ll turn my comms off for now but be ready. I’m on my way.” Keith grumbled down the receiver, Lance returned with a worried sounding affirmation so Keith did as he had said and closed the communications between them.

It would be fine. Keith would be fine. He’d get to Lance. There was no doubt about it. Keith took in a large deep breath before placing his hand on the handle of the door and slowly pushing it open. 

Keith exited the cupboard apprehensively, checking each side of the corridor for any movement or sound. Happy to find neither, Keith exited the box room entirely and lifted his bayard, completely activated, prepared to fight at any moment. His directive was clear. Get to Lance. Free Lance. Free everyone else. Go home.

Fuck the damn droids. Keith would kill them all if he could, he would pedantically hunt down every single droid on this shop, even the cooking droids who did no harm to anyone except the poor cuisine dishes that Keith had to convince himself that they were murdering simply because he didn’t want to believe something good would taste so expensive.

Keith slowly stalked through the hallways, if he could just find the prisoner ward it was unlikely Lance would be far from there. Right?

Keith rounded a corner blindly, tricking himself that the area would be empty like when Lance and Keith had explored it before, but Keith was mistaken and as he stopped with a gasp, four head turned towards him entirely in sync.

“Enemy spotted. Intruder alert.” One of the droids sang before all reached down, in sync again, and grabbed their blasters from their sides lifting them before letting off on poor Keith. 

Keith charged forward narrowly missing a number of shots, some so close that he could feel the scorch marks on his skin before he reached the four drones, using his bayard to pick them off one at a time and throw them out of his way.

Keith was on a mission. If he could help, he wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of him reaching Lance. 

Keith continued his trek down corridors until the layout seemed familiar again. Some lights up ahead where cleverly switched revealing the shadows of numerous cells further ahead.

Keith couldn’t help the smile that spread across his cheeks. He’d done it. He was going to get Lance out and the two would free the prisoners and everyone would be saved.

Keith paused for just a second when he thought he heard footsteps from in front of him, past the cells and in the darkness. He stopped completely, holding his bayard once again up to his chest as he readied himself to charge. Just before he was about to take off, Keith was suddenly taken aback but a surprise attack. 

Keith felt his feet come up from beneath him and suddenly he was smashing onto the ground, he tried to twist his body round as he fell but before he could shift to fall on something that could take the contact he felt his wrist bend uncomfortably on contact with the floor and his body falling on top of it until he heard the unbearable crack of bone shortly followed by the blinding pain. 

“Well, well, well, look what we have here.” A loud, gruff, almost southern sounding voice snarled. “I’ve caught myself another paladin. Aren’t I just having the luckiest day?”

Keith looked up just in time to see the large galra from before boring over him with a look of complete insanity in his eyes.

“Good night little paladin.” The voice spoke again. “Maybe when you wake up… We can have ourselves a little chat, shall we?”

Just before Keith could argue, the large galra lifted up his fist before slamming it down onto Keith’s face, time seemed to slow and Keith watched his helmet bend with the impact before collapsing down onto him. It was almost like a light switch really, one moment Keith was watching with almost awe in his eyes and the next he was gone. Nothing tying him back to this world.

Presumably, not long after losing consciousness, Keith slowly returning to the waking world, a blinding headache not far behind. 

Keith awoke to the sound of banging and clashing against metal. Keith gulped in fear, when he was asleep he could almost trick himself he was back on the castleship, his friends all around him, Lance pressed against his side as a reassurance that they were home… But now, nothing could mask the dreary, dark, damp cell where Keith currently dwelled.

Keith stared down as best as he could from his position laid on his back on the cold, wet floor and saw that he was pretty much in the same condition he had been when he’d passed out. The only thing being the damage to Keith’s arm.

Keith had thought that he’d only attained to his wrist but it was clearly a lot worse as the entirety of Keith’s lower arm looked bent out of shape. He went to lift his arm slightly to better evaluate the damages but the pain spread like wildfire and he immediately dropped his arm down again.

Everything else seemed to be fine from this angle. 

Keith reached up with his good arm and touched his head, silently thanking the gods that the galra soldier had been too stupid to remove Keith’s helmet… Or perhaps it wasn’t a stupid move. Perhaps he was trying to lull both the paladins into a false sense of security before squelching them into the dust. 

Keith growled. He wouldn’t let this guy anywhere near Lance. Not even if it meant sacrificing himself for him.

Keith flicked on the communications on his helmet and called out to the air. 

“Lance…” Keith whimpered through the comms, how long had he been asleep? Was Lance alright? Was he still in the same place as before? Would he be able to answer back?

Before Keith could send his mind reeling any further, the comms opened once more and Lance’s heavy breathing felt like a loaded symphony to Keith’s ears. 

“Keith…” Lance whispered pathetically through the comm system. “Are you there?”

“I’m here, buddy.” Keith tried to keep his voice flat and stable but the worry he felt for his fellow paladin was shaking him to his very core.

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know.” Keith replied honestly. “A cell. Somewhere.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. I just need a breather and a few minutes to form a plan and we’ll be out of here in no time.”

“A breather, huh?” Lance could almost give off the impression of joking but his voice was so hoarse and rough, Keith knew the effort he was going to. “What’s got the great Keith Kogane pegged down?”

“I think my wrist is sprained.” Keith whispered nonchalantly now the communicator. Keith didn’t want to unnecessarily worry Lance and telling him the true extent to his injuries might do that. “So… Let’s just talk for a minute and let me get my breath back or something and then we will formulate a plan.”

“Oh. Okay.” Lance whispered.

The two fell into uncomfortable silence, Keith might’ve worried if it wasn’t for the slow reassuring pants from Lance’s end that lulled him into a small sense of security. The silent went on for probably almost a minute before Lance suddenly spoke up, a habit of his that wouldn’t be dampened by this sort of situation. 

“I- I wanted to tell you something...” Lance whispered. “Before.”

“What is it?” Keith asked gently, he tried to sit up but his arm throbbed when he even thought about moving so he just laid there instead as he tried to chew back his moans of pain. 

“You were right.”

Keith felt his heart almost break immediately at the strain in Lance’s voice. “I’m almost always right but this isn’t one of those times, Lance.”

He heard his friend choke up on the other end, if Keith didn’t know any better he’d think that the blue paladin was crying but he didn’t dare ask to find out.

“... I’m sorry, Keith.”

“This doesn’t sound like Lance, who are you and what have you done with him?” Keith tried to joke but it only made Lance choke up more causing the red paladin's heart to almost give out right then and there.

“I’m sorry for being useless. This is my fault. I’m sorry that you and the team always have to come save me. I’m sorry I always manage to mess up.”

“Enough.” Keith tried to silence his friend before he could work himself up. “Lance stop. This isn’t your fault - If I hadn’t made us separate then maybe… Or if I’d just come out to help you fight when I had the chance… There’s no use looking back on what we should have done. I’m coming to get you and when I do you better be ready.”

“Ready for what?” Lance whimpered, expecting the red paladin to threaten him or tease or something along those lines. 

“I’m probably going to hug you… To death.” Keith muttered simply, a blush rising on his cheeks as he whispered something usually out of character for him. 

“Wow…” The blue paladin finally let out a slow, pained chuckle at his friend’s words. “You’re even slightly threatening when you’re trying to make me feel better.”

“Yeah well get used to it.” Keith retorted back quickly. “I want you to always feel better.”

“... I’m still sorry, Keith.” Lance whispered, Keith could just imagine the blue paladin curled up like a fist all alone in a damp cell similar to Keith’s. Keith could also just tell that Lance was struggling to hold back his tears, struggling to keep himself calm. “If it wasn’t for me, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“What’s done is done. It’s no one’s fault so we need to focus on what’s head. Let’s just focus on getting out of here for now. Where are you?” Keith whispered back just as quiet, his heart breaking more and more as the seconds passed. 

“I don’t kn- Oh god... I don’t know!” Lance’s breathing suddenly began to grow insanely heavy and loud, Keith could also hear loud banging from Lance’s end. Was he banging on something? “I don’t know where I am or how we’re going to get out of this- Joder! It’s all my fault. I got us into this with my big mouth and now we’re both in danger and it’s all because of me-”

Keith could only listen as his friend began to panic down the other end of his receiver, a range of what Keith recognised as spanish curse words escaped from Lance’s usual pureish lips. Keith, no matter how much he wanted to help, didn’t know how to. He wasn’t the best at communication at the best of times but now? He was totally out of his element and all he could do was feel his heart continue to strain at Lance’s pained words.

“I’m so sorry, Keith. So sorry. I’m so sorr-”

“Please don’t apologise.” Keith whispered slowly, he reached towards his own face, beneath the visor of his helmet, with his good arm and scratched at his chin uncomfortably, he didn’t know what to say. He knew that nothing was Lance’s fault and that Lance was an amazing paladin, but how could he convey that? Keith knew he was no good at comforting people and that infuriated him more than anything. “… You don’t have anything to apologise for.”

Keith listened to the receiver in his helmet like his very life depended on it, picking up casual sounds he never would have in any other situation. Like the way Lance’s breathing is a lot faster than what would be considered normal. The sharp intake of breath he takes before he lets out an almost choked chuckle, the sound catching on his throat making him sound absolutely wrecked.

“Hey… Can I- Can I tell you something?” Lance slowly whispered, cautiously and unsure, seemingly catching his breath back after the last couple of minutes. “P-Promise you won’t laugh.”

“Why?” 

“Just do it.” Lance grumbled almost deadpan but Keith could hear a slight tone of desperation in his voice. 

“Fine.” Keith grunted as he lowered his hand to rest on his leg again. “I promise.”

“… I… Umm… I’m kinda scared.”

Now it was Keith’s turn to take a sharp intake of breath, completely taken aback from Lance’s words. Yet, somehow just those four words were enough to ease Keith’s own worries just a little bit. He knew he had to get to his fellow paladin and no Galra soldier was going to stand in his way.

“Me too.” Keith whispered in return. “But I’m going to get us out of this. We’re going to get out of this. Just… Wait for me. Okay?”

“Okay.” Lance squeaked back softly. 

Keith reached around his knees the best he could with one broken arm, curling further into a ball as he focused on the quick breaths he could hear coming from Lance’s end. Something about having him there was able to calm down Keith’s frantic heart. 

“I’m sorry, Lance.” Keith whispered. “This really isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I should’ve listened to you.”

Keith listened as Lance let out the quietest chuckle he’d ever heard, barely even audible, he wouldn’t have caught it at any other time but thankfully right now he did. “Clearly.”

“Well, well. What’s going on in here then?”

Keith quickly shot his eyes up and through the cover of his helmet he watched as the door of his cell was slowly closed and the soldier that had dragged him in here earlier was almost slithering towards him. 

Keith kept his lips tight as to not give anything away. He chose to keep the comms open so a second had barely passed when Lance was whispering into his ear again, likely heard the Galras voice on his end. 

“Keith… What’s going on?”

“Who are you talking to… Half breed?” The Galra soldier sneered, Keith listened as he heard Lance take a loud intake of breath followed by a quick whimper but he stayed quiet other than that. 

“… Myself.” Keith sneered back, trying to match the level of intimidation he was receiving from the soldier. 

The soldier regarded him for a second, staring intently at Keith’s helmet in particular.

“Hmm… So you and the Blue one do have your communications still running.” The soldier mumbled but then broke into a wide grin. “Well go ahead. Console each other. Try and think of a plan to escape. There’s nothing you can do anyway.”

“Keith?” Lance called out again. “Keith?”

“Lance, I-”

Suddenly, the galras leg snapped out and connected with Keith’s side so hard the Keith rolled with the force straight up onto his side letting out a loud grunt in pain. 

“Keith answer me.”

Keith stopped for a second to get his breath back before reaching up as best as could to switch off the comms at his ear. “I’m sorry, Lance.”

The lines went dead, effectively leaving Lance abandoned when he clearly needed Keith more than anything but Keith didn’t feel the resounding guilt he expected. As long as he kept Lance as far away from this guy as possible, a little distance was beyond reasonable.

“Ooh. Trouble in paradise.” The dark galra chuckled, looking down over Keith like you’d look at dead flowers crumpled beneath your feet. “He won’t forgive you for that one.”

“Fuck you.” Keith spat back immediately, avoiding the gaze of the commander in hopes that his rising levels of fear would go unnoticed. 

“It’s Keith… Isn’t it?” The commander leered. “Your scum name, right?”

“How’d you figure that one out?” Keith tried to continue down his path of sass and arrogance but it was increasingly difficult with the numerous areas of his body crying out in pain. 

“We are well aware of you red paladin. Keith Kogane. Half breed. Your little band of mischief has been nothing but a thorn in Zarkon’s side since the beginning.” The capturer snarled, pressing his foot down on Keith’s good hand tightly until Keith felt the bones bend and crackle under the strain. “But that ends today. I have two of you paladins in my control and believe me, if it were up to me you would be floating through space right now and not sat in one of my more lovely guest rooms.”

“Charming. And what do they call you?” Keith tried to keep his composure the best he could but the pressure the galra was placing on his hand was making it difficult to even think straight, let alone talk.

The galra seemed to think for a moment before smirking. “Well… What kind of host would I be if I didn’t tell you my name? Since it’ll be the last thing you’ll see anyway.”

Keith growled as the pressure increased further and he couldn’t stop the quick whimper of pain that was only cut short by Keith biting down hard on his lip until he tasted iron.

“I am Braek. Commander of this vessel and the 36th quadrant galra fleet positioned in Zarkon’s empire. My name is known to bring fear to those who hear it, some even too afraid to even speak the name out of fear that it would summon me.” The Galra smirked once more. “That is the power I yield, child, that is the power that currently towers over you.”

“Yeah okay.” Keith grunted. “If you couldn’t tell, I’m shaking in my armour right now… But then again it is cold so… It’s probably just that.”

Braek snarled, focusing all of his weight onto Keith’s hand, but Keith kept his mouth firmly shut only letting out a soft moan. After a couple seconds, the pressure left and Braek lifted his foot up once more. Keith thought that the worst was probably over, that is until he watch Braek reach down to his side and unsheath a long, slender knife from it’s pelt. The blade itself much have been half a metre long and Keith could see his broken reflection looking back at him as Braek brandished it smugly.

“It’s beautiful right.” Braek snorted. “A gift from Lord Zarkon himself, a token for all my hard work to support the galra empire.”

Keith shrugged his shoulder. “I’m sure that thing could open a good few letters if you position it right. What a thoughtful gift.”

The galra snapped his teeth aggressively in response before landing another swift kick at Keith’s ribs.

“Don’t you get it yet, paladin.” Braek snarled. “Zarkon doesn’t care if you’re dead or alive anymore. He just needs voltron terminated. I’m free to do whatever I want to you and your little friend.”

“Don’t you touch him.” Keith snapped back in response but he couldn’t have looked very threatening doubled over clutching at his ribs as he could.

“Imagine… Something happens on board. A freak accident perhaps. Some odd virus that spreads. Humans are a weak bunch of vermin, they’re always catching something, who would question if perhaps one of you just didn’t happen to make the journey to Zarkons fleet? What a shame. I’ll keep one of course, a plaything for Zarkon or maybe even the prince, who knows. The possibilities are endless.”

“You wouldn’t dare. You’re bluffing.” Keith lied, he didn’t really care if the soldier was bluffing or not. It was enough of a risk that Keith had to tilt the scales a little just to make sure that the right paladin would survive long enough for the others to arrive.

“Oh am I?”

“Zarkon wouldn’t forgive you for stealing his victory. Especially someone like you. Some subpar commander who doesn’t even have an army of actual galra, just mindless droids since Zarkon knows that’s the only thing your primitive can cope with. That knife, a token? Don’t make me laugh. It’s a symbol that you are nothing more than another bitch in Zarkons kennel of rabbids. 

Braek landed another kick but before Keith could collapse himself into he was shoved back onto his back, his arm fell and smacked backwards against the floor causing Keith to howl in pain.

“Let’s see if a half breed like yourself can handle this.” The commander snarled once more, his hands poised over the handle of the knife before suddenly slamming downwards without another word. 

Keith felt the blade the second it touched his skin, he’d expected the pain to feel hot like fire but instead it was like ice. His body felt frozen in place as he watched helplessly as the long blade stood standing straight up out of his leg. The sneer from his capture above him did nothing to Keith’s pain but he couldn’t help the bloodcurdling scream that escaped from his lips.

The pain was endless, but Keith tried to keep his focus as his scream wasn’t the only loud echoing sound through his cell. He stared up once more to see the large galra soldier laughing, his head thrown backwards in victory over what he thought was his successful subduing of the red paladin.

Unacceptable. 

Maybe it was the situation or maybe it was Keith’s ego that wouldn’t allow him to be beaten down like this, not when his mission was so clear. He had to get to Lance. That was all that mattered.

Not this galra. Not this ship. Not this war.

Keith reached down to his leg as if to clutch at it in pain but he swiftly grabbed a hold of the long knife currently standing upright of his thigh and pulled it out with all his might, his scream only getting louder as he did so.

The galra was clearly distracted which provided perfect cover as Keith unsheathed the knife from his thigh and quickly threw himself forward, using the momentum to plough the blade deep into the stomach of his capture. 

Braek gasped immediately and went to grab for Keith but Keith was quick, spurred to move from his injury, and fell back down to the ground, dragging the knife down with him and further into the captures stomach. 

“Guards. Guards!” The galra gasped out but Keith noticed the dark purple blood dribble from his lip at first then beginning to pour down and catch on the commander's armour. 

Keith pulled the knife once more with all the strength he had left, the only thing keeping him up now was the adrenaline burning through his blood. He charged upwards once more, narrowly missing the falling fists of the galra before he quickly punched the blade up into the throat of the commander until Keith could tell the blade had protruded its way out the other side. 

Braek gagged and gasped as his eyes went wide, he grabbed hold of Keith by the throat with all the strength he could muster and lifted him high above the ground but Keith could barely feel it.

He had won.

He stared up at his captive and let a wide smile spread across his cheeks.

“That…” Keith gasped for air around the pressure around his throat. “Was for Lance.”

Braek gasped once more before his legs collapsed beneath him and Keith smacked hard against the floor, groaning loud as he landed on his bad arm once again. His head ached and the room through Keith's blurry vision began to spin until Keith felt his head spinning at the same speed to match the motion. 

Keith closed his eyes, though the motion continued until Keith felt nausea envelope him. But… That didn’t matter. As Keith heard the sound of his capture fall to the ground Keith was reminded of what he was fighting for and why this worth it.

And then, there was nothing. No regrets. No worries. Perhaps all that was left was a fear of what could’ve been.

He only hoped that he had done enough to save Lance. 

Keith didn’t fight the exhaustion, didn’t fight the dizziness or the numbness that cuddled him like a wet blanket as he drifted… and drifted… until there was nothing left.

Not long after, unaware of the red paladin's ordeal, Lance lay face down his cell, he could hear the loud and terrifying footsteps of his captures outside which Lance knew was slowly driving him insane with fear but they were just footsteps and Lance was just about keeping himself calm but nothing could have prepared him for the sound that came next. A sound that seemed to slice through Lance’s mind like a knife, cutting him open and letting him spill to the floor.  
The footsteps stopped right outside of Lance’s cell but made no sign of entering. Lance visibly jumped with a whimper when he heard voices begin to echo through the darkness.

“Commander Braek is in a healing pod. It is unlikely from his injuries that he will recover fully.”

It was a droid.

“We are currently waiting on instructions on what to do with the new prisoners.” 

“What are we to do with the red one?”

“Follow the current directive. The prisoners do not leave their cells until we are instructed otherwise.”

“The red one is badly injured. Are we to provide aid otherwise it is unlikely his body will be able to sustain itself until further instructions are provided?”

“Followed the current directive. The prisoners do not leave their cells until we are instructed otherwise.”

The voices all blended into one and Lance couldn’t even guess how many were currently positioned outside of his cell but the conversation regarding Keith sparked his interest and he tried his best to crane his neck to look outside of the cell but just as he tried to focus his eyes the footsteps began again, this time fleeing the opposite direction without another word. 

Keith was injured.

The thought burned through Lance like hot magma in his brain. 

“Keith…” Lance softly called out over the comms. The reply that came back was pure static and Lance felt his heart bend and break as if preparing for impact. 

Please let him be okay. Let him be alive. That’s all he needed.

“Keith.” Lance didn’t even bother to hide his tears now, letting them fall freely from his eyes and his scratchy voice call down the transmitter of his helmet. “Keith, buddy, are you there? Please answer me.”

Yet again there was no response, just constant static, and Lance could feel his mind slowly beginning to unravel. Negative thoughts came and went, thoughts of being alone, thoughts of Keith abandoning him, thoughts of never being able to return home, never seeing his family again. 

Thoughts began to circle his brain and were pressing heavily on his mind, Lance wasn’t even surprised when they reared their heads numerous times in the long amount of time that had passed since his comm line with Keith had been cut. 

He missed Keith. He needed him here. Needed to know that he was okay. That he was alive. But nothing came.

Lance curled over once more into a fist, his knees pressed tight against his chest as he felt the tears continuously fall for the brother Lance had feared he had lost. He cried and weeped untill his body reached past the point of exhaustion and Lance’s spirit began to drift between the waking world and the dream state. 

What was even the point? Without Keith it was meaningless. As Lance felt himself fully immerse into his exhaustion only one thought among the others called out to him.

It should have been him.

Elsewhere on the ship, Shiro wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he last spoke to Keith but as he charged through the interior, thanks to Pidge’s instructions, he prayed that he had made it in time. Shiro was surprised by how empty the ship was when he first arrived but it hadn’t taken long for the centuries to start appearing.

Shiro charged through each one undeterred, a man on a mission, leaving no robot still functional as he made his way like a tidal room through corridor after corridor before he reached a large metal archway that led to an almost pitch black corridor. Shiro thought almost because the only colour in the room came from the half a dozen centuries stood by the door with the coloured lights on their chests providing the only light source for Shiro to follow.

Shiro let the first few droids come to him before he quickly wielded his galran robotic arm and swiped through them like a knife through warm butter. Making quick waste of them as they fell down to the floor useless.

“Lance should be right where you’re standing.” Pidge’s voice called through the communications as Shiro charged forward, thrusting his hand through the chest of another droid. “Bring them home, boss.”

Shiro quickly slammed his hand into the neck of one of the last droids and without a second thought squeezed, thrusting his arm upwards and removing the head in one quick blow. Without even thinking Shiro slammed his hand into the lock of the door to his left and was pleasantly satisfied when the connections burst and the electronic door burst open. 

“No entry.” The final droid called out and Shiro almost felt the urge to laugh as he charged forward with one final punch straight to the droids face which seemed to crackle before bursting from the impact, dropping down to the floor to join its fallen brothers.

The black paladin immediately ran inside the cell but his heart almost stopped beating when his eyes grazed across his young friend, curled up like a fist protesting death. He fell to his knees at the paladins side and went to reach forward slowly to touch him, but before he got the chance Lance shot around like a bullet and grabbed at his hand, thrusting it away from him hard.

“Lance, it’s me.” Shiro whispered when the blue paladin instinctively pushed himself away, backing himself into the corner. “It’s Shiro.”

“Sh-Shiro.” 

Shiro could see Lance’s contorted face through the smashed glass of his visor but was worried that he couldn’t make his own diagnosis since Lance was just too covered in his own blood for Shiro to see where specifically the damage even was. 

“Yeah, buddy.” Shiro reached beneath Lance’s arms and slowly lifted him to his feet. “I got ya.”

Lance grunted in pain but he seemed sturdy on his feet, so much in fact that a few seconds after standing up he eased his weight off of Shiro’s shoulders and was able to stand without Shiro’s help, even if he was swaying a little bit.

“Where’s Keith?” Lance’s blood covered face seemed to pale almost as Lance reached forward and grabbed Shiro by the collar of his armour. “Is he- Is he okay?”

“We need to find him.” Shiro whispered, trying to come off reassuring but failing miserably given his own level of panic about Keith’s current situation. “Let’s go.”

Lance nodded and the two quickly sprinted from the room and down deeper into the prisoner ward. Shiro was confused by the number of empty cells they passed which Lance seemed to notice as he spoke while the two continued running. 

“This is what that galra warden called his ‘special prison ward’ only reserved for his most special and rare of guests. He told me when he first… brought me in.” Lance seemed to gag as he spoke. “I think Keith is down the other end of the ward.”

Shiro nodded in understanding as the two closed in on the end of the ward and stopped in front of a large, dark cell. Lance suddenly reached to his face and covered his nose with a gasp.

“... It smells so bad.” Lance whimpered and Shiro was glad that he had his visor down on his helmet. 

He followed the same procedure he’d used to open Lance’s chamber and was again satisfied when the door burst open and the two paladins ran inside. If Lance had been a shock to find a minute ago then Keith was enough to absolutely knock the air out of Shiro’s lungs. His body was more curled up than Lance had been but his arm was twisted at an awkward angle, making Shiro suspect that the thing was broken. As Shiro watched more he gulped at the pool of blood that had built up around Keith’s body. 

“Keith. Keith!” Shiro called, sinking beside his friend- almost brother. “Keith, can you hear me?”

A quiet grumble was the only response Shiro expected but it still did nothing but break his heart into shattered pieces.

Shiro let his eyes scan across the boy's injuries. Other than his arm and leg, there wasn’t anything more than Shiro could easily spot. He wouldn’t be surprised if Keith was in possession of a broken rib or two or more internal damage. 

Keith slowly turned his head to better face them but his eyes, though unfocused, were looking directly up at Lance who was bending over him worriedly. 

“How did he manage to stop the bleeding?” Lance suddenly asked, his voice barely above a whimper. 

“A-Armour.” Keith whispered in return before Shiro had the chance to. “Tight.”

Shiro nodded his head in understanding. He knew that the black skin tight bodysuit was fully capable of tightening in places above a breach, an almost sentient response that was able to cut off the blood supply to Keith legs. Like tying a belt just above a wound to slow the bleeding.

“Keith. We’re going to get you out of here now.” Lance whispered, Shiro decided not to mention the full fat tears that were escaping from his eyes. 

“I’ve got you, buddy.” Shiro wound one of his arms around Keith’s body and lifted him without further warning, being careful of his wounded leg and clearly broken arm. How the boy was still conscious was a surprise to even Shiro but he was glad that he was.

The black paladin stood up straight and quickly made his way back outside the cell again where Lance was supposed to have chosen to guard to make sure no Galra had stumbled across them but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Keith’s small, broken body. 

“Keith.” Lance squeaked when Shiro turned to face him entirely. “Buddy… You have to stay awake, okay?”

Keith let out a slow groan in response to the familiar voice but he couldn’t give him anymore than that. 

“Lance, Do you- Do you want to take him? I can clear our path back to Black.” The only reason Shiro asked was that he knew that Lance wouldn’t be able to concentrate on a fight if it arose, not with the way he was staring at Keith with such fear and anxiety. Almost like if he blinked Keith would disappear right before his eyes. 

Lance nodded and quickly retracted his bayard and attached it back to his waist before reaching out and almost snatching Keith from Shiro’s arms. He slowed himself when he heard a soft gasp escape from Keith’s lips and carefully snaked one arm below Keith’s knees and the other around his upper back, letting Keith’s head drop to the side and lean on Lance’s shoulder. The impulse overtook Keith immediately and he curled into Lance’s warmth until his face was fully in the crook of Lance’s neck. 

Lance blushed at the sentiment but looked up to Shiro with a determined look on his face almost immediately. “Where do we go, boss?”

Shiro signalled with a nod of his head and the two quickly escaped from the torture room and towards the room where Shiro had left the black lion.  
Lance let his aching legs do all the work, carrying him down long corridors following just a few steps just behind Shiro who monitored their path ahead keeping an eye out for soldiers. 

“Not far now, Lance.” Shiro muttered quietly under his breath from his front as they rounded another corner, when Lance rounded the corner himself he almost cried tears of joy as the Black lion, in all her glory, sat with her doors open, waiting for her paladin’s return.

Lance sprinted across the large room which he now recognised as a closed hangar when suddenly he felt heat pass by his ear, burning his skin. He cursed loudly immediately drawing the attention of Shiro who turned, his face immediately paled as he slowed his pace to let Lance pass him and continue sprinting towards Black.

Droids began to enter through the large doors and Shiro could do nothing but catch the plasma shots from their guns with his arm, just to make sure that nothing were to hit Lance or Keith. They were so close and he wasn’t going to let something happen now. 

“Shiro!” Lance cursed as he reached the particle barrier surrounding Black. He reached a hand out and as he’d expected his hand was stopped short unable to penetrate the shield. 

Shiro let out a curse of his own as he turned back and sprinted, faster than before, encouraging Black to lower the barrier, when he reached Lance’s side he quickly pressed his hand forward and as soon as his hand touched the shield it immediately fell, allowing Lance to carry on and run into the large lion, still clutching Keith tightly to his chest. 

Shiro entered after the young ones and watch as the barrier raised behind him and the doors closed, allowing the three total privacy as they entered the cockpit. Without a second to spare, the black paladin reached his arms out, encouraging Lance to give him the broken red paladin. 

Shiro quickly stole Keith’s body from Lance before Lance could put up a resistance and laid him gently against the wall with his legs outstretched in a ‘V’ shape. Lance almost instantly collapsed down into the gap and much to Shiro’s surprise curled into Keith’s body and gently lifting Keith’s arm to curve around his waist and hold onto him allowing the blue paladin to snuggle into his chest and gently press his face into Keith’s neck.

Shiro decided now wasn’t the best time to question Lance’s actions, he noticed how both their faces seemed to relax when in each other's arms so decided that they could stay like that for the time being while Shiro focused on getting away. 

Shiro quickly jumped into his seat just as felt Black’s presence inform him that she was already preparing for departure, closing her doors and charging up the thrusters in her feet to push her from the grand.

When Shiro was fully strapped into his seat he quickly let out a short breath, taking control from his lion and urging the metal cat to flee. He felt movement and watched as his screen suddenly changed as his lion stood up onto all fours before pushing off, there was no ease in the movement but thanks to grace of his lion there was little push back that would cause him to worry further about his two paladins who, by the way, were not wearing seatbelts right now. 

Shiro kept his eyes faced forward as he guided Black out of the interior of the ship by tearing at the metal with Black’s claws and sliding through the gap just as the pressure built up enough to force all the soldiers who’d been following them as well, throwing them out into space. 

Seconds later, Shiro eased up his grip on the controls and pushed Black into driving straight forward, gliding smoothly through space in the direction where he knew the castle ship was waiting for them. Shiro checked the location device beside him and let extra worry build up in his throat as he noticed that the green and yellow lion were still in the ship.

“Lance…” A quiet whimper filled the cockpit and sent icy shivers across Shiro's back breaking his concentration from the location device. 

“I’m here.”


	3. Chapter Three

Shiro turned in his seat to watch the young pair in mild curiosity as Black pushed forward a little faster on the thrusters, speeding up their return. Shiro couldn’t help but feel a twinge at his heart as he watched Keith protectively circle his arms around Lance’s body and pulling him closer and further into his lap. The blue paladin put up no restraint as he just pressed his face deeper into Keith’s neck, barely moving to avoid hurting Keith’s wounded leg or broken arm that awkwardly tried to hold him there. 

He could see the pair both curl their faces occasionally in response to the pain that was clearly affecting them more than Shiro had originally estimated. If he’d got a better look at Keith’s leg before getting the two into Black then he might have suggested that the two stayed apart but Shiro doubted they’d have even listened to him anyway.

All Shiro could really do was press his connection with Black and will his lion to move as fast as they possibly could. Shiro was grateful to have his lions comforting presence pressing down at the back of his mind as he worried profusely about his young paladins. Shiro often thought about the effect that this war would have on the teens.

“Mission accomplished, boss.” The yellow paladins voice and face suddenly shook Shiro from his thoughts. “Pidge and I are carrying the prisoners back now to the castle.”

Sure enough, when Shiro returned his glance to the location device beside him he saw the familiar blinking lights from the yellow and green lions, slowly heading in the same direction as them. 

Shiro let out a long breath of relief as he felt his worry begin to subside, they’d been lucky this time. Everyone was out and they could put the two young paladins in the cryo pods when they returned to the ship. However, that still didn’t stop the guilt from creeping up slowly. 

Shiro was a warrior, he’d grown up as one, he’d been raised and trained to be one. Although his path had definitely taken an unexpected turn, it didn’t mean that he wasn’t prepared to deal with it. But the rest of the paladins… They were still children really. Sure, they all liked to pretend that they weren’t but even Shiro could see it sometimes, especially in their eyes, that childlike wonder and naivety was what really gave away their age and it only ever managed to fill Shiro with endless guilt.

They were all far too young to be dealing with this sort of responsibility, hell, some people on Earth might even argue that Shiro himself was still too young to have this sort of burden placed on his shoulders. That only proved his point further that these children had no place in this world. Sometimes, on dark nights, Shiro wished he was never returned to Earth, he would rather remain a prisoner and live a long, disastrous life rather than remain one of the main catalysts that caused the five Earth-borns to be in this situation. 

He wished more than anything that he could save them from this, find other paladins, those who could be better suited, more to gain and less to lose. More age and wisdom. Shiro himself would relinquish his title of black paladin if a better individual came along but he doubted he could step back from having an influence in the fight itself. Zarkon was still out there, his presence so overwhelming that no matter how many planets voltron saved it didn’t feel like anything change was occurring.

“A foot in a door.” Shiro silently reminded himself. Reminding himself of all the other lines he sprouted in hopes of encouraging hope in his fellow paladins. Lines about patience, focus and sacrifice.

They sure had to sacrifice a lot. Why was it up to them to do it? 

Perhaps he couldn’t change their fates. Perhaps this was it for them all, just speeding through space for years, never settling in one place for too long, always in constant danger, putting their lives on the lines, never being able to tell their families where they were. One day they would become nameless whimpers in space. Would they be remembered as the paladins of voltron or would their names be lost like voices in the wind?

Shiro knew that there was nothing he could do about the future, nothing he could do to change fate, perhaps he couldn’t save the paladins from an end they didn’t deserve, but until that day came he would sacrifice every part of himself in order to see them through to another day. 

When Shiro finally caught sight of the castle ship not too far ahead, he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he had been holding. It wouldn’t be long now. He’d get his paladins back to safety, fix them back up before inevitably sending them into danger once more.

The team joke and call him space dad, but Shiro didn’t believe they truly understand that what the meant to him. Sure they weren’t his children, but they were his responsibility, and he was failing them. 

Shiro noticed the hanger door open and quickly pushed Black forward and parked up, when Shiro rose from his seat he turned to face his young paladins and noticed that both were clearly in a deep state of sleep. Shiro was relieved when he watched his fellow paladins sprint across the hanger from their own lions and entered Black without so much as a second thought.

“Hunk. Grab Lance.” Shiro mumbled to the yellow paladin when he entered the cockpit.

“A-Alright.” Hunk faltered as he turned and saw the beaten and broken bodies of his closest friends. Hunk couldn’t stop a few tears from rearing their ugly heads as he reached down and picked up his best friend with as much trepidation as he could muster. 

Hunk had known Lance since they were children, being the only two freshmen that hadn’t come from this one elementary school. They bonded over the fact that both had recently moved from their home countries and a weak grasp of the English language which had put both at a disadvantage compared to the other kids. Hunk remembered the embarrassed look on Lance’s face when Lance told him in spanish that he knew the two would be friends forever. Lance hadn’t expected Hunk to have understood him and replied “brothers forever” in spanish in return. 

On the walk from Black’s cockpit to the cryopod room, Hunk let his brain search through a few memories he had with Lance, from their first tests, first dates, sleepovers, family holidays. Hunk couldn’t remember the time when Lance wasn’t a strong presence in his life, only that that time had been significantly darker without him.

Not long into his thoughts, Hunk watched as the cryo room doors pushed up. He didn’t waste a single second before he quickly skittered over to the closest cryo pod and gently eased Lance down and into it, letting his body rest against the side before Hunk turned back just as Shiro entered the room carrying Keith his arms. Without Lance in his lap, covering the majority of his body, Hunk could see a lot more of the damage that Keith had suffered on the mission. His arm was clearly broken and pointed a strange direction, dangling loosely in the air, jolting with every hard step that Shiro took.

Shiro quickly placed Keith inside his own cryo pod carefully leaning him against the side, thankfully on the arm that wasn’t broken. 

Not even a second later, Coran slid through the open doors and all the yellow paladin could do is watch as Coran face turned to pure worried horror as he first ran to the blue paladin. 

“Oh dear.” He whispered sadly, lifting a hand to cup Lance’s chin and carefully lift his face to get a better look at him. He quickly assessed the blue paladins injuries before jolting and sprinting towards Keith to do the same to him. “A couple of days should be enough for Lance. Keith will need a little longer.”

Shiro nodded his head in understanding though he was sure that Coran was speaking more to himself rather than to the group.

“Do what you feel is best.” Shiro whispered as Coran quickly headed over to the control panel and began jamming several buttons before both cryopods closed shut and began their descent into the floor. 

“All we can do is wait and track their progress.” Coran announced. “Come. We’ll drive ourselves damn mad if we wait for them to wake.”

Coran proceeded to guide the three paladins from the room, watching as they split off, Shiro heading to the right towards the training room while Pidge and Hunk headed off together to the left. Coran presumed they were heading over towards the kitchen since the humans did try to eat dinner at a 24 “hour” interval usually 6 “hours” after lunch and 5 “hours” before all the humans would head to their bedrooms to sleep.

Coran didn’t understand much about much about the humans and their repetitive cycles. Humans also followed the time measurement of hours and seconds, again something that thoroughly confused Coran on a regular basis. However, he decided rather than questioning them anymore today he would head towards the bridge and help Allura get the castle ship as far as possible, as well as beginning the negotiations with the newly rescued prisoners. 

The ship was eerily silent in the days that passed without the two paladins making their way around like they usually did. Coran and Allura were lucky, they busied themselves with communicating with the prisoners and how to get them home, so they barely had a moment to stop and think about their current predicament. The three remaining paladins however felt their time was going slowly, with nothing to do they found themselves just trying to waste their times just to try and bring on when their friends would be removed from the cryo pods. 

There were moments where the crew actually confused the paladins for actually being with them. Like during breakfast on the first morning, Hunk was flying around the kitchen putting some sort of dish together using ingredients that he’d gathered over the last few months while visiting numerous planets.

“What’s that?” Pidge has asked, leaning close into Hunk’s space. She’d spent most of her time with him since their return yesterday, not admitting to herself that now was the only time that she didn’t want to be alone.

“It’s some sort of leaf plant, I’ve been growing it myself the last few weeks and it kinda tastes like lettuce. The mermaid civilisation gave me the seeds back when Lance and I got stuck there a few months back- Lance don’t you dare make a comment.” Hunk laughed but suddenly caught himself and stopped. 

Pidge gave Hunk a look of pure sympathy before reaching over and resting their hand on top of his as he leaned himself down onto the countertop, his brows furrowing showing he was deep in thought. 

A similar circumstance occurred during training later on in the day. Shiro was busy teaching his green and yellow paladin a close combat move which would allow them to block more difficult maneuvers from stronger enemies. Pidge didn’t want to point out that Shiro was teaching them a move that clearly would’ve been useful to the painfully obviously missing paladins while they were on the ship. 

Hunk was struggling to get the move down completely, always messing up his foot work somehow. Not that anyone was surprised. Hunk wasn’t a close battle kinda guy, he preferred shooting from a distance so it was no wonder he was taking longer to get the sequence down than it was for Pidge. 

“It’s fine Hunk. Let’s try this a different way. Keith, care to demonstrate?” Shiro had announced proudly before catching himself and looking awkwardly down at his feet. “... When he wakes up.”

The three paladins shared a sad look, reminded of their missing friends. 

The following day and a half followed exactly like that, making mistakes and worrying profusely for their fellow paladins, they ate meals in silence, all claimed to go to bed early but all 5 team members struggled to pass on when the time finally came to laying their heads on their pillows. As the days passed, the team were looking more worse for wear than they did after a long battle. 

Finally, on the third morning without their paladins the timers ticked down for Lance’s exit from his cryopod. The entire team stood in front of his pod as it slowly raised from the ground and revealed the blue paladin back to his team. He didn’t look much different honestly, barely any colour had returned to his cheeks and his hair was a scruffy mess, in fact he looked more tired than he had when he had entered. 

“Are you sure he’s okay to come out yet?” Hunk suddenly gulped. “I mean, I know I’m no expert on Altean technology but I am an expert on Lance and he sure as hell doesn’t look right as rain. Maybe we should give him a little longer just to cook a little bit more- not that he’s like a cake or something but surely it couldn’t hurt just to give him a-”

Allura raised a hand and leaned against the yellow paladins shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. 

“The pod has done all that it can, the rest of the healing process will have to take place in the real world.” She whispered calmly, she turned to Coran and gave him a gentle nod before he pressed a button on the control panel. Instantly, Lance’s pod began to hiss and vibrate as the barrier was lifted and Lance was freed. 

It was Hunk who charged forward to grab his friend as he suddenly collapsed forward, his knees completely giving way beneath him.

“Whoa!” Hunk gasped, circling his arms around his buddy’s thin body and pulling him back up to as much of a standing position as he could handle. “I got ya, Lance.”

Lance slowly opened his eyes but immediately shut them again once the blinding light hit him. He let out a loud groan as he felt Hunk’s arms tighten around him and keeping him upright as best as he could.

“Five more minutes.” Lance mumbled followed by numerous chuckles around the room.

Lance tried to open his eyes once more, this time with more luck as he opened his eyes to a squint and focused on a number of faces around the room.

Coran stood the furthest away, by the control panel but was looking at Lance with eyes full of concern. Allura was next, a few feet away with Shiro close by her side, so close in fact that their shoulders occasionally rubbed together. Obviously, Hunk was pressed close to Lance’s right side but Lance was slightly surprised how close Pidge was to his left. Their arm was reached up as if to touch him but the contact was never made. 

Lance let out a soft small at each in turn, even leaning away from Hunk slightly into Pidge till their hand pressed gently against his elbow. 

“How do you feel?” Shiro’s calming, soft voice lapped over Lance and sent him into a sense of security.

“Like a million dollars.” Lance let out a soft snort, enjoying the warmth that came from both the arms wrapped around him and the family surrounding him. 

“You really gave us a scare, Lance.” Hunk whimpered, his grip tightening so much it was actually starting to ache. Not that Lance was complaining.

“Sorry guys. I don’t want say it was my fault… Because it wasn’t. It was all Keith’s fault.” Lance joked, expecting a couple of smiles but everyone just seemed to look down in discomfort. “Speaking of… Where is the mullet man?”

“Keith has yet to wake up.” Allura whispered. “The extent of his injuries was more serious than they looked and he’s being kept in his pod for another few days.”

“He’ll be okay.” Shiro muttered, pressing up against Allura to comfort her but his tone made it sound like he was trying to convince himself rather than assure her. 

“The red paladin is currently in the pod to your left.” Coran pointed to Lance’s feet. “He’s due to be released in about 2 cycles.”

“Oh. Well… I suppose I’ll just wait here for Keith to wake up. Wouldn’t want him to fall on his face and break his nose and have to be put back in again.” Lance smiled, but he wasn’t very good at hiding the worry in his tone. 

“You should eat.” Shiro reminded. “Come. Keith won’t be waking soon.”

Lance felt Hunk’s arm twist till Hunk’s shoulder was flush against him before gently pushing Lance’s reluctant body forward out of the room. 

“Come on. I’ll make you something special.” Hunk tightened his grip, obviously letting his relief show that he was glad that his best friend was safe and okay.

“Fine. I guess that sounds fair.” Lance let a soft smile cross his cheeks before letting his arm raise to wrap around his brother in return. 

Food came and wet, much faster than the rest of the team would have liked. Lance wolfed down his food and almost immediately returned back to the cryo room to wait for Keith. Sitting on the steps alone and twiddling his thumbs as he let his mind run wild. The team tried to drag him away occasionally, for meals and showers and such, but Lance never strayed far for long, preferring to be with Keith as he slept peacefully as the pod did all it could to heal him. 

Time passed incredibly slowly, so slowly in fact that Lance worried that perhaps he’d suffered some brain trauma after the mission that meant his brain was functioning even slower than usual. Lance had run this theory by Pidge when they’d stopped to visit him on his second day awake while Keith was still asleep.

Lance had been offended when Pidge had merely laughed almost sympathetically at him and called him a hopeless idiot. 

“Who are you calling an idiot?”

Pidge couldn’t stop the wide, cheeky smile spreading across their cheeks. They had no doubt that at this moment they resembled something akin to the Cheshire Cat from one of Pidge’s favourite books when they were younger. They handed Lance the lunch that Hunk had made for him since the crew had decided to just let Lance spend all his time here since he was only uncomfortable when he wasn’t.

“I know exactly why you’re acting like this but I’m going to let you try and figure it out for yourself.”

“Come on, Pidge. This could be serious.” Lance tried to grab for his friend's arm as they turned to leave but Pidge was quick and slipped away before he could grab them.

“Eat up, Lance. Give Keith a kiss from me if he wakes up before I get back.”

Lance was about to retort back with some sort of sarcastic comment but Pidge broke into a run and left the room before he could think of one, all Lance could do was watch as the doors slowly closed behind them. 

The blue paladin let out a sigh, ignoring the food that Pidge had placed next to him.

He wasn’t particularly hungry.

Lance sat alone, he wasn't sure how much time at passed. An hour? Two? More? He couldn’t even fathom a guess. His mind was working overtime and he couldn’t stop himself from crawling towards the floor where Keith’s cryopod was buried underneath. He circled his fingers around the edge and Lance wanted nothing more than the floor to open and give Keith back to him. 

More time passed and Lance tried to move himself into different seated positions around the room, at least that way he was giving himself a slightly different scenery each time. 

Lance looked towards the lighting on the ceiling, the room was considerably darker than usual so Lance could only assume the castle ship was going through its sleep interval, which it had been for a while, what time would that make it then? The castle went through 24 hour periods in order to recreate Earth times to allow the paladins the most healthy living style on the ship. With the sleep cycle starting on the 22nd hour and and ending on the 6th hour. Supposedly giving the paladins 8 hour periods to sleep.

Lance scoffed. He’d lived on this ship long enough to know that it never felt like 8 hours.

If Lance had to guess, he’d estimate that it was about half way through the interval which probably meant that everyone was asleep, aside from maybe Pidge since Lance didn’t even know when that gremlin got any sleep.

Keith was also a night owl. Using the quiet and alone time to spar in the training room, Lance had often spotted him on one of his “midnight walks” for food or water. Lance would usually find himself stopping to watch, poking his head around the open door and creeping. He’d duck away if ever Keith looked as if he was going to look in Lance’s direction, just to save himself from the embarrassment. It was one thing to stare, it was another to be caught staring. 

Keith was an excellent warrior, his hand-to-hand combat was better than anything Lance had ever seen. Watching Keith go against gladiator after gladiator was like watching some sort of dance, similar to the ballet shows Lance’s mother used to take him and his sisters to when they were younger. In the training room, Keith was like a cat. Poised and elegant.

Anywhere else he was a fucking idiot.

Case in point, this whole fiasco that went down on the galra ship. It was all Keith’s fault.

If only Keith had listened to him, splitting up was a terrible idea, and Lance had even tried to make sure that Keith could get away and wait for backup but what did he do? He tried to play the hero and got seriously hurt. 

Something about the fact that Keith had tried to save him resonated deeply in Lance’s chest. He didn’t have to- He shouldn’t have- and yet he risked himself unnecessarily just to try and get to Lance as fast as possible… And then there was that conversation. Lance was a mess, he acted in a way that the team would be disappointed at him for. He acted like a child.

Weak.

Then there was Keith’s scream.

Lance shuddered and found himself crawling forward until the hidden pod was better in his view. Lance knew that Keith’s scream would be haunting him for years to come. It was so ear-piercing and terrifying that Lance was surprised his heart didn’t give out during it.

To think that Keith could even make a sound like that.

He hated it.

It was wrong.

Keith should never have to make a sound like that for the rest of his life. Lance would make damn sure of that. The blue paladin made a silent promise to himself that from this day forth he would be better there for his team, especially his red paladin, regardless of the consequences. He refused to have to hear that sound ever again in his life.

“Wake up soon, buddy.” Lance whispered to the air. “I need to tell you this agreement. You’ll probably just laugh at me. Maybe call me an idiot. But it’s okay. It’s worth it. You’re worth-”

Lance stopped. He wasn’t doing it just for Keith. It was for the whole team. Keith was just the catalyst. Lance wouldn’t be able to survive if Pidge or Hunk made that sound and he would make damn sure he would never have to go through anything that caused it. They’d never go through anything to cause it. Not just Keith. 

“Buddy. Can you wake up soon? I can’t think straight without your stupid voice in the background.”

Lance thought back to his conversation with Pidge earlier.

“Give Keith a kiss from me if he wakes up before I get back.” 

Lance blushed. He hadn’t even really argued when she said that but… He couldn’t, could he? Kiss Keith… That wouldn’t be right. I mean they’re both paladins of Voltron and that should come before anything. Plus… Lance didn’t have any romantic feelings towards Keith right?

Sure… Keith was… Attractive? Training had given the boy toned muscles which combined with his even skin and good proportional torso and legs made for a great body which Lance both respected and envied. Keith’s tight paladin suit didn’t leave much to be desired so Lance was well aware of the sculpture of his fellow paladin, it wasn’t because he was a creep or anything. No it was the suit. 

Keith also had a great ass.

Lance had always known himself to be quite the ass-man so he could differentiate between the good and the bad and Keith’s was definitely good. Very good. Amazing, in fact. It gave the impression of being quite tight from hours of training locked in but also plump enough to be easily grabbed and tugged and pulled and spa-

It was a great ass. It’s not because it was Keith’s ass. If you cut away Keith’s ass and put it on someone else it would still be a good ass. It’s not the person who it’s connected to that makes it great.

Fuck.

Lance let out a soft sigh. Keith had really pretty eyes too. Lance would occasionally lock eyes with him, usually more often when they were in a heated debate and it would take everything in Lance’s body to keep focused. They were such a fascinating colour. Violet. Lance didn’t know anyone on Earth other than Keith who had violet eyes. They were truly beautiful, mesmerising in fact. 

His hair was awful though. Why hadn’t Keith cut his hair yet? Surely it would better for him. Easier to practice. Easier to fight. Why keep the out-of-date unruly mess around? Lance thought Keith would suit shorter hair, the fact that his hair was raven just meant that he would look good with any hair style. Maybe when Keith wakes up Lance should offer to cut it, he used to cut his younger sister’s hair all the time and he wasn’t terrible at it.

He wouldn’t cut off too much though. Maybe thin it out a bit and take it up to chin length, still long enough to swish around and dangle by his sharp cheekbones. Still long enough to be grabbed and pulled roughly if need be, if Keith was into that stuff, so it’s not like he’d be missing much.

Lance would love to get his hands on Keith’s hair. Pull him around maybe like a dog on a lead, he wouldn’t be able to get away unless he begged for it. Lance would play around a while, tease him like always, before finally giving in thus allowing for Keith to suffer a little bit.

Damn. That sounded kinda gay.

A lot gay in fact.

“Shit…” Lance whispered. “... I’m gay for Keith, aren’t I?”

Lance could almost hear the amusement from the rest of the team even though they weren’t even here. Well screw them, it's a legitimate question. Did he feel this way only because Keith had tried to save him or because he actually liked him?

He should probably talk to Hunk in the next couple of days, get his head on straight while Keith readjusted to non-pod life again. Lance didn’t want to do anything that would make Keith uncomfortable and forcing whatever feelings he was currently having sounded pretty cruel.

Fuck.

This sounded like a tomorrow problem for now.

Lance twisted his body, his aching joints protesting somewhat, until he was near enough comfortable and prepared himself to settle down for a few hours before Hunk was knocking down the door demanding that Lance should eat breakfast. 

Lance let his eyes close for a second as he thought of Keith. Keith’s body. Keith’s eyes. Keith’s hair. Keith’s nose. His hands. His fingers. His jacket. His stupid fanny pack that Lance was convinced was just full of lollipops and nothing else.

It didn’t take long for Lance to start falling into the sleeping world, imagining Keith falling asleep with him. 

Lance opened his mind to more thoughts about Keith. Thinking about what it would be like to hold Keith’s hand. To kiss his nose at the breakfast table. To pull him into storage cupboards for chaste kisses which would sometimes lead to… not so chaste kisses.

The possibilities were endless. 

Sitting next to Keith at breakfast, their legs rubbing comfortably against one another. Sitting together in the lounge. No one would think it was weird, they’d just think “oh it’s Keith and Lance. Back at it again.”

Keith and Lance.

Lance and Keith.

Leith.

Ew.

… But nothing could ever happen. Lance’s mind began to warp the images of being happy together into something more sour.

Their first battle, not being able to protect one another. Getting hurt. Fighting over battle plans, shouting at each other until their voices were to hoarse that neither wanted to talk again.

One of them… Dying. 

Could Lance open himself up to that risk? Losing Keith… Or leaving Keith behind.

Dreams became nightmare and before long Lance wasn’t even in a sleep state anymore. He just lay there, the cold tiles of the medical bay floor spreading icy burns across his back and legs.

He stayed like that for what felt like years. 

It was only when a sudden grumble around him sounded that Lance was able to fully return to the waking world, he gave a quick scan around the room but after noticing no change he went back to closing his eyes again. He didn’t get a chance to relax for long however as the grumble got slightly louder and was the followed by vibrations against the floor.

Lance’s eyes drifted open and up, widening as shock overtook him when he saw the cryo pod rise from the floor, Lance immediately caught the site of thick dark hair and felt the smile that he’d been missing finally return to his cheeks.

The blue paladin jumped to his feet and sprinted to the control panel, he quickly opened the communications line that would send his voice across the castle ship before relaying a quick message.

“Everyone!” Lance called over the channel. “Keith is waking up.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading. As promised, here's the last installment. I hope if you read this far you were able to overlook the unedited, badly passed mess this fic ended up being.  
> Nevertheless, I am kinda proud of it and it was a nice bonus that I was able to get up in time before season 3 so wahoo!
> 
> If people stick around I hope to start releasing my longer fic that I've been working super hard on in the next couple of weeks. Thanks again and god bless ;)

Lance giddily jumped back from the control panel just as the barrier suddenly began to rise from the cryo pod. That was quick, Lance thought to himself. He jumped forward as Keith’s body suddenly sunk from the machine, falling forward and straight into Lance’s waiting arms. 

Lance let out a groan at the harsh crash of their bodies but snaked one arm around Keith’s waist none the less and allowed him to rest his weight on Lance.

“L-Lance.” Keith’s voice was rough and scratchy but it still managed to come out coherent enough for Lance to pretty much understand.

“Hey buddy.” Lance whimpered. “You alright?”

Keith grunted in response, lifting one hand to wipe at his eyes. Lance watched the movement and couldn’t help but think of how cute it was. Like a sleepy kitten or something.

“H-How long have I been asleep?” Keith suddenly asked, letting his arms fall back down to his sides. 

“Umm. I lost count after 5 cycles so somewhere around there.”

“Oh. Wow.”

“Yeah.”

The two fell into silence, Lance was suddenly very aware of his close proximity to keep but he didn’t really want to move away even for a second. 

“I already put over the comms that you were waking up. Everyone should be here soon.” Lance gulped, not really sure what else to say. 

As expected, it didn’t take long for bodies to start filling the room, Pidge was obviously first and from the dark rings around her eyes Lance knew that she had yet again not slept the night before. She paused at Keith’s right hand side while Lance held him by the left. She stared up at Keith similarly to how she’d stared at Lance the other day, looking like she wanted to reach up and touch him, almost to see if he was real, but too scared to know the answer.

Hunk and Coran entered together, both walking in at a brisk pace. Hunk made his way over to the group while Coran hung back and chose to stand by the control panel, giving a once over of Keith’s final vitals before giving a nod of, what Lance could only assume, approval.

Finally, Allura and Shiro were the last to enter. Allura obviously looking as phenomenal as she always did but Shiro was clearly a lot more worse for wear, his hair standing up at all angles, his clothes a rumpled mess and his face looking like he’d been hit by a truck.

Clearly, Shiro hadn’t been sleeping either and Lance began to feel the guilt well up in his throat that it took him till now to notice.

“Hey guys.” Keith grunted, still rough and gritty.

Everyone simultaneously seemed to release a breath of relief before their faces turned to comfort. Shiro even looked like he just had a 8 hour comfortable sleep just by the way his face brightened up when Keith spoke. 

“You really gave us a shock y’know.” Pidge gently punched at Keith’s arm but the look of relief on their face took away any malice that could’ve been confused by their actions. “Can’t believe that both you and Lance are stupid enough to get caught.”

“Pidge.” Hunk whined, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around both Keith and Lance, pulling them tightly against him. Keith strained to keep in his grunt of pain simply because he wanted to enjoy the affection while it lasted, and he knew that Hunk probably needed it more than him. “I’m just glad you’re awake honestly. Both of you.”

Keith shot Lance a look at the corner of his eye but the blue paladins gaze was fixed fully on the door just as it opened and the remaining three individuals on board stepped in. All letting out soft gasps when they locked eyes with Keith struggling to stay standing in Lance’s grasp.

He tried to stand himself up better, pulling his arm around Lance’s neck to lean more weight against him just as the black paladin pulled ahead of Allura till he was a few inches in front of them. 

“It’s good to see you, buddy.” Shiro smiled, reaching up and rubbing his hand through Keith’s messy hair before returning back to Allura’s side. “How are you feeling?”  
Keith watched as Shiro’s hand curled around Alluras, perhaps it was a show of support, but he noticed the immediate blush that graced Allura’s soft skin. 

“Better than before.” Keith smiled. “Thanks for giving me the extra hand, lord knows I needed it.”

He reached his now fully healed arm up and flicked it forward, letting it hang limply, just to prove his point. The group let out a strained chuckle, including Lance who couldn’t help but cuddle closer into Keith’s warmth.

“We’re happy to see you again, Paladin, the ship is not the same without you. A lot quieter.” Allura smiled pleasantly at the pair. “Though, I assume that’s because Lance found himself without someone to argue with.”

Keith turned to look at Lance again with a smug smile but he couldn’t help but stare at the bright red blush that immediately spread across his entire body. The colour left Keith mesmerised and he found himself almost unable to look away.

Little did he know that Allura had been watching the two of them very closely and immediately tugged gently on Shiro’s hand to draw his attention. 

“So,” Allura couldn’t help the soft smile that spread across her cheeks as she watched her blue and red paladin. Keith couldn’t stop looking at Lance, his eyes boring into him as if he was simply a figment of his imagination. Lance held Keith by the waist tightly but Allura noticed the way his other arm was slowly inching closer towards him in order to pull him into a hug. “I think that we should give these two some privacy, they’ve clearly been through a lot these last few days… I’m sure they need to talk.”

Allura also noticed the small blush that spread across both their cheeks. She quickly turned and grabbed at Shiro’s other hand tighter than he had grabbed her, she knew that he wanted to talk to Keith more but now was not the time. No one on the crew had gotten any sleep over the last few days and now that things were starting to ease up, it would be the first chance to get a full night's rest.

“Come, Shiro.” She whispered, letting her thumb stroke against Shiro’s human hand. “We all should rest.”

The space parents were the first to leave the room, followed very shortly by Coran who left the room promising to make sure that Allura would be banished from doing any wake-up drills for the next couple of cycles in order to give the paladins a reward for their gallant efforts against Zarkon’s army. 

Pidge let out a snort as the doors shut behind him. “Yeah, sure, ‘cause Coran is obviously going to be able to stop her if she wants to. Which she will.”

“True.” Hunk agreed but he had to admit to himself, Coran’s words weren’t present in his mind as all he could think about what finally resting in his bed and actually getting to sleep fairly easily for once. 

“Come on big guy, let’s leave these two doves to talk.” Pidge teased, reaching up to tug at the sleeve of Hunk top. 

The big man followed easily and Lance did nothing but watch as his two friends exited from the room, the doors automatically closing soon behind them. Lance let out a relaxed sigh as he felt Keith’s hand curl around his waist and begin to slowly draw circles around the small of his back. 

Lance felt himself slowly leaning in closer to the touch before raising his second that wasn’t wrapped around Keith and circling it around him, giving Keith a sideways hug. At this distance it was easy for Lance to take in the familiar almost spice-like scent of his fellow paladin. 

“You smell good.” Lance confessed. “Like cinnamon.”

Keith’s words caught in his throat before he calmed and let out a little chuckle. “Thanks. That’s a surprise considering how long it’s been since I’ve showered.”  
Keith watched as Lance ever so slowly leaned in closer towards him until his head was resting on the side of his head. His fingers automatically curling as much as they could into Keith’s paladin suit. 

“How are you feeling by the way?” Keith felt Lance nudge slightly closer to him at his question. “When did you wake up?”

“A few days ago. Hunk’s been making me food and Pidge has been bringing it to me.”

“You’ve been here?” Keith frowned, turning to face his fellow paladin entirely, Lance kept one hand remained on Keith’s hip even though the two were only a few inches apart. “The whole time?”

Lance gulped, using his free hand to scratch at his neck awkwardly. “Oh. Yeah. I wanted to be here when you woke up.”

“O-Oh.”

A silence fell over the pair, Keith couldn’t decided whether the silence was awkward or not but what was awkward was the loud rumble that came from Keith’s stomach a couple of seconds later. Lance immediately chuckled in reply and used his spare hand to trace fingers across Keith’s stomach as Keith blushed bright red. 

“I suppose we should go get some food.” Keith gulped. “Let’s go.”

“Hold up.” Lance gulped and caught Keith’s hand before he could pull away and immediately tugged Keith back into place and then closer into his body. 

Keith let out a quiet moan as he was pulled slightly closer to Lance, the blue paladins arms curling around his waist while Keith himself reached up to curl his arms around his neck. Another moan left Keith’s throat involuntarily causing Keith to blush bright crimson, he hoped Lance didn’t hear it and by Lance’s body language it suggested that he didn’t… Or that he was just ignoring it. 

“We’ve missed you, Mullet.” Lance suddenly whimpered, the reality sinking back in. Keith was here. Keith was going to be okay. He hadn’t lost him. He felt tears begin to prick at the corner of eyes, all the emotions he’d felt these few days resurfacing all at once. The fear, the anxiety, the uncertainty. 

“I-” Keith stuttered, almost shocked by the blue paladins behaviour, but as he watched as silent tears began to escape from his eyes, he couldn’t help but let out a few himself. “I missed you too…”

Keith couldn’t explain what possessed him but he couldn’t help but curl himself into the blue paladins arms as much as he could, allowing his own arms to snake around tighter and pull him in closer, even pressed against each other like this still felt like they weren’t close enough. Keith was thankful for the slight height distance at that moment as he quickly turned his head into Lance’s neck and pressed his face deep into the crook, his lips spread but unmoving against Lance’s tan skin.

Keith also couldn’t explain the relief sitting heavy in his heart as he took in Lance’s familiar scent, unsurprisingly Lance smelt like the ocean, he smelt like the sea and salt. Keith had practically grown up in the desert, miles away from any body of water, so why did Lance smell so much like home? Why was Lance’s scent instantly recognised as somewhere safe, somewhere where Keith felt at ease and protected. Somewhere he wanted to protect equally in return. 

“Don’t… Don’t leave me again.” Keith suddenly heard the cracked whimper of said home into his ear and finally Keith understood.

“Oh that’s why…” Keith suddenly whispered without thinking, causing the blue paladin against him to tense up.

“What?”

“Nothing, sorry. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere ever again.” Keith, if it were possible, tightened his grip and pulled his fellow paladin even closer.

Keith knew why he was so relieved Lance was safe. Keith knew why he needed him closer, just to make sure that nothing else could happen to him. Keith knew why Lance smelt like home. 

Keith loved Lance. Loved him more than a fellow paladin, more than a friend, more than a brother.

Keith let his knees buckle beneath him, forcing him to take Lance with him down to their knees as they continued to cry into each others necks, just glad to be away from that mess, just glad to be alive, just glad to be together.

Over the following days, as things began to return to normal, it was obvious to all members on board the castle that one thing was not returning back to it’s usual state. That thing being the usual Keith and Lance dynamic. The frequent harsh arguments had come completely to an end, replaced by gentle, soft banter and never any bites to their words. The pair had completely evolved and were now practically inseparable, with Keith following Lance around like some sort of bodyguard, keeping one eye on Lance and the other on any sort of bump or knock that ever came from close by. At first, it put the rest of the team on edge, especially poor Hunk who felt almost uncomfortable when he tried to envelope Lance in a tight hug when the blue paladin finally started coming to meal times again. Thankfully, this discomfort didn’t last long and before too long the team were returning to their usual dynamics, the only difference being that Lance and Keith never strayed too far out of each other’s sight. In addition, it was no longer a surprise to the rest of the team when the pair simply couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

Whether it was shoulders pressing together at the dining table, fingers brushing as they walked side by side through the castle, or even practically sitting on each others laps while cooling down in the lounge room the two actively gravitated towards one another. Even though the entire team knew about it they’d never think to comment just in case it made the two young paladins uncomfortable, or worse, to stop what they were doing. Everyone kept their lips tight shut and as time passed and new training missions came and went, no one really thought about the unfortunate events of that day which caused this shift in the team. 

That was until one day, when Keith and Lance were sat together in the training longue, Keith couldn’t help himself from bringing up one of the events from that day. It had been nearly three weeks since the whole ordeal, Keith and Lance had never even mentioned it before that moment and yet all Keith wanted to do was talk. To ask questions. To vent. He’d never thought he’d wish for Lance to talk relentlessly at him about a certain subject before but this… it felt almost wrong that they hadn’t spoke about it, especially since he was very aware of the fact that he’d barely been apart from Lance since that day.

“So…” Keith started, he felt Lance stir in his lap slightly, Keith almost felt guilty for a second as it was obviously the blue paladin was likely falling to sleep. 

“Mmmh.” Lance mumbled, confirming the red paladin's thoughts. “What is it?”

“I’m willing to drop the bet if you are.” Keith whispered softly and slowly as Lance rested his head on his shoulders. “Or rather… I’d like to change the terms.”

Keith felt Lance tense beside him and slowly pull away from him, the idea of sleep behind him now, before he could fully escape Keith quickly reached his arm around and took Lance’s face in his hand, forcing the blue paladin to look up into his eyes.

“W-What?” Lance gulped in a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. “What do you want, Keith?”

“Go out with me.” Keith mumbled, deadpan and serious. He didn’t want to beat about the bush on this topic. He’d decided a week ago he wanted to confess to Lance and he knew that if he waited any longer his heart would burst.

“What?” Lance’s eyes widened in complete and utter surprise. Never had he expected the red paladin to ask him such a question, and so bluntly as well.

“Lance. Will you go out with me?”

“Keith, I-”

“I don’t like it when you call me that.” Keith sighed, interrupting Lance before the blue paladin could find the words to get Keith to admit he was just messing with him. “I mean, call me what you want but I actually prefered it when you made fun of my hair.”

Lance felt like his eyes couldn’t get any wider. It didn’t even feel like he was talking to Keith, just some sweet, kind hearted stranger who had the same attractive face as Keith.

“Lance I-” Keith gulped awkwardly, not even really sure what to say at this point. He could sense Lance’s discomfort radiating from him and he didn’t want to make it worse. Especially since the only thing Keith wanted to do was press his lips against the Cuban’s lips in an attempt to truly communicate his feelings across. “When you were gone… I didn’t think for one second that you were useless, or that you were a burden. I didn’t feel any sort of arrogance because I’d won the bet and you’d lost. There was nothing. I just wanted to get you back as soon as possible, nothing else mattered. That’s how I always feel. That’s how we all feel. The why’s and how’s don’t matter. Voltron can’t lose it’s blue paladin. We can’t- … I can’t lose you.”

Lance furrowed his brows together, frowning deeper than Keith had ever seen before. Surprisingly, Keith thought back to their time on the Galra ship, walking side by side when Keith had seen the frown on Lance's face before. It didn’t suit him then. It doesn’t suit him now. 

“You’re so arrogant.” Lance finally mumbled.

If Keith’s heart could be ripped apart by anything, he was pretty certain Lance had just managed to it. His stomach sank and all of a sudden he didn’t want to be here anymore, Lance’s words had the capability to do more damage than Zarkon could ever dream of doing to him. 

“I-In what way?” Keith dared to ask.

“Well… You got captured too y’know.” Lance suddenly huffed followed by crawling back into Keith’s space and cuddling into his neck once more. “It’s a bit rich to just act like you were the only one worried. I was worried about you too.” 

Keith froze in complete shock, too afraid to move in case it caused Lance to run away or move away from him again. 

Lance continued. “When I heard your scream through the halls I thought you’d died and… and I was so scared.”

Keith rested his hand on the back of Lance’s head, tangling his fingers into his hair, while hushing him gently as Lance’s voice became quite strained. 

“I haven’t ever felt like that before and that just managed to make me feel more scared.”

Keith suddenly felt Lance’s lips press against his neck cautiously, so light and short timed. Keith felt himself relax into Lance’s soft touch as he tightened his own grip on the Cuban, refusing to let this moment leave.

“I wouldn’t have done that to you.” Keith whispered honestly. “No matter what, I won’t just leave you to battle on your own. I’ll always fight beside you, or with you, and that will never change.”

Finally the cuban let out a soft chuckle, the warm gust of air on his neck sent a shiver down Keith’s spine, and pressed another kiss into his neck. Harder this time.

“Thank you… Mullet.” Lance pulled away slowly much to Keith’s dismay and reluctance to let him go. “I’m- I’m not so afraid anymore and I’m happy that I feel that when I’m with you.”

“Me too.” The red paladin whispered cautiously, watching his fellow paladin as he lifted his hands and rested them on either side of Keith’s face. 

Lance shifted his body on Keith's lap until he straddled him entirely, his legs on either side of him with their chests pressed tightly together, their lips mere inches apart. Keith wanted nothing more than to close the distance but at the same time all he wanted to do was stare into the Cuban’s bright blue eyes, that he now noticed held highlights of lighter blues and almost some greens around the middle. Eyes so beautiful, Keith dared not look away. 

“So my answer is yes…” Lance suddenly whispered, his voice deeper to try and mask the embarrassment he felt as his entire face lit up bright red. “Yes. I’ll go out with you.”

Keith didn’t need telling again, before Lance could change his mind, Keith closed the distance between the blue paladin and himself and let their lips gently fold into one another. The kiss was soft, almost barely there at all, but Keith could feel himself smile into the kiss as Lance’s hands rose up and tangled into Keith’s hair. Keith knew that Lance was probably thinking some insult he could use about Keith’s hair when they were finished, but he didn’t care.

In this moment, all he needed to know was that his blue paladin was here to stay, and Keith would happily give himself to Lance in return. 

Much to Keith’s frustration, Lance slowly pulled away from this kiss and let out a soft chuckle. A sound that almost melted any wall Keith could ever even think of putting up to stop this Cuban fool from penetrating himself right into his heart.

Keith coughed as he could feel his cheeks warm up considerably. “Y’know… Since we both technically lost, I’ll clean up the training room on my own for two weeks if you want. It’s mainly me who makes the mess anyway.”

“Nahh.” Lance smirked, choosing to rest his head back on Keith’s shoulder again. “I’m thinking that I’m going to enjoy it a lot more after today... so it’s fine.”

“Oh really?” Keith quirked up an eyebrow, lowering his hands to rest on Lance’s lower back. “I beg to differ.”

Lance immediately let out a loud laugh against Keith’s shoulder. “Oh? Do you now?”

“Yeah. Just ‘cause we’re dating now, don’t think that I’m going to let you skip out and just sit on your ass like you always do. If anything, I’m gonna be more hard on you now.”

Lance blushed every shade of red before running his fingers up and down Keith’s face, trying to recapture some confidence to use against his fellow paladin but that was hard to do when Keith was already throwing the fact that they were dating into conversation as if he’d been doing it for years.

“Sorry, babe.” He smirked as he watched Keith tense up at the pet name. “Since we’re… Y’know, dating now, you’re going to accept the fact that you’re dating a princess who you’re going to have to care for.”

The two fell into a pit of laughs, occasionally pausing to layer each other in chaste kisses before returning to their smiles and giggles. Keith couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this at peace and happy, he began to question if he’d ever felt this peaceful and happy before at all. Just sitting here, the man he knew he was in love with sitting above him, happy and at ease. 

“I’m sorry…” Keith whispered suddenly. 

“What?” Lance smirked, leaning back so he could look his red paladin in his soft velvet eyes. “What did you do now?”

“This all started because we made a bet about you getting captured.”

Lance smirked, pressing a few soft kisses over Keith’s forehead and cheeks. “Yeah, so?”

“Well…” Keith blushed, allowing himself to ease even further into Lance’s touch. “You’ll have to stop calling yourself a free man because I’m never letting you go again. You’re mine until the end of the universe.”

Lance let out another chuckle before firmly pressing his lips to Keith’s, he let his hands explore Keith’s form, happy that Keith began to do the same in return. For Lance, this kiss meant more than any kiss that they could ever have because this was the kiss that sealed the deal, this kiss assured that the two would stay connected regardless of what their futures held, that what they had now was strong and would continue to stay that way.

When Lance finally pulled away he reached up and tangled both hands in Keith’s hair, lifting his head so that they looked each other in the eyes, regardless that both quickly turned a bright red colour from the intimate looks they gave each other.

“I’m yours, mullet man.” Lance whispered. “And you’re mine.”

“Deal.”

Lance let his hands fall back to his side before suddenly trying to pull himself up from Keith’s lap even against Keith’s obvious attempts to keep him seated.

“Where are you going?” Keith mumbled, getting nervous again. 

“I’m gonna go brag to the rest of the team about how hot my new boyfriend is.” Lance winked. “Wanna come, maybe you can do a little bit of bragging yourself about yours.”

Keith laughed easily, letting the blue paladin pull him up to his feet and keeping their hands tightly clasped together.

“Cause y’know… your boyfriend _is_ gorgeous.”

“Shut up, Lance.”


End file.
